NESTOR FALLS – Following Mon. morning Super Cell Storm, massive pine trees toppling onto power lines left many residents with power.
“Crews have been working tirelessly to restore power to more than 1,100 customers following severe weather that moved through northwest Ontario on Monday, July 18”, said Alicia Sayers, Hydro One representative. “Our crews continue restoration efforts for approximately 27 customers in the Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls area who are without power following this storm.”
The municipality of Sioux Narrows – Nestor Fall declared a state of emergency in the early morning of July 18 due to several pine trees causing significant damage to power lines and personal property.
According to Wanda Kabel, CAO of Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls, “The Township of Sioux Narrows – Nestor Falls activated their Emergency Operations Centre on the morning of July 18 to coordinate communications with all available municipal personnel, volunteer Fire Fighters, the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre and the Ontario Provincial Police.”
Additionally, Kenora-Rainy River MP Greg Rickford has been in talks with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and the Ministry of Environment, Conversation, and Parks to see if they would be able to provide whatever recourses need to aid the residents of Nestor Falls.
Available municipal personnel evacuated 50 campers who were residing at the Caliper Lake Provincial Park during the storm. Many have suffered damage to vehicles and campers from fallen trees. In some cases, the destruction has left these vehicles and campers in complete disrepair.
“The hardest hit areas include, but are not limited to: a) Caliper Lake Provincial Park, b) the downtown core of Nestor Falls in and around where Pine (Kakabikitchiwan) Lake flows down into Lake of the Woods, c) in and around the Sabaskong Bay area of Lake of the Woods, including Sabaskong Bay Road, as well as islands in this vicinity,” said Kabel.
Although many areas had power restored by the evening of July 18; however, power outages remain in some of the hardest hit areas along with isolated areas that are without telephone communications.
No estimated time of restoration has been provided.
At this time, crews are also responding to power outages affecting approximately 103 customers as another weather system moved through the area, but Hydro One anticipate all customers will have their power restored tonight.
