Skip to content
Join our Newsletter
  1. Home
  2. Courier Archive
  3. News

Trees topple, shut down streets in Vancouver, as strong winds pummel South Coast

Strong wind gusts knocked over and uprooted trees across Vancouver, including along 12 th Avenue this afternoon. Earlier in the day Environment Canada issued a wind warning for coastal B.C.
Vancouver Courier Staff

Strong wind gusts knocked over and uprooted trees across Vancouver, including along 12th Avenue this afternoon.

Earlier in the day Environment Canada issued a wind warning for coastal B.C., with expected damage to occur from winds between 70 to 90 km/h - which could likely reach over 100 km/h.

Powerful winds caused chaos on Metro Vancouver transit, and one woman was sent to hospital with injuries due to a SkyTrain incident.

Chris Bryan, senior media relations advisor, for TransLink, said a branch fell on the SkyTrain tracks between Nanaimo and 29th Avenue Stations, which forced the train car to come to a sudden stop as it set off the intrusion alarm.

“As a result of the sudden stop the woman was injured, but we aren’t aware of the exact details of the incident. We do know that she was taken to hospital in an ambulance before SkyTrain attendants could speak to her, though," he told Vancouver is Awesome.

When asked about the severity of her injuries, Bryan was unable to verify that information. With that in mind, he confirmed that she was able to walk herself off the platform and to the ambulance.

A Twitter user under the handle @lalloalo tweeted about the incident, and reported that they saw how the “train came into the station smoking and the glass and poles broke,”

In addition, the user notes that “someone was bleeding.” TransLink was unable to verify if the woman was bleeding or if poles were broken.

B.C. Ferries also cancelled sailings between the Mainland and Vancouver Island.

The Vancouver Park Board announced it had closed access to Stanley Park due to the risk of falling branches.

“Sustained southeast winds of 70 to 90 km/h have already developed through this morning over much of the south coast and will remain at that intensity for the next couple of hours,” said an Environment Canada press release.

“Winds will switch to southwesterly 70 to 90 km/h early this afternoon, with stronger gusts likely above 100 km/h. Winds will ease early this evening and shift to west to northwest. This is a significant wind storm and could cause widespread damage.”

BC Hydro will also provide updates of power outages across the Lower Mainland on its Twitter feed.

- With files from Elana Shepert / Vancouver is Awesome