Hundreds evacuated amid power outage in Pimicikamak

WINNIPEG — More than 300 Pimicikamak Cree Nation residents have been moved to other communities in Manitoba amid a power outage that is now not expected to be resolved until 6 p.m. on New Year’s Day.

The evacuation to Thompson, Whiskey Jack Landing and Norway House Cree Nation involved elders, people with certain health conditions and families with babies, Chief David Monias said.

“The problems we are having keep on piling up the longer we go (without power),” Monias said Tuesday morning. “People are frustrated, and people are angry that this is happening. We have people at risk.”

Hotel space in Thompson was limited, he said. Buses were scheduled to transport dozens of residents to Winnipeg starting Tuesday afternoon.

Monias said residents who remain in Pimicikamak are gathering in homes or buildings that have a gas-powered generator or wood stove, while some used candles to generate heat or they slept inside running vehicles.

The outage, which has affected the entire community since about 11:30 p.m. Sunday, has made it difficult for residents to cook or preserve food, access clean water and communicate, he said.

The chief said bottled water supplies were running low Tuesday morning, and food had to be brought in from Norway House.

In a Facebook post Tuesday afternoon, he said the outage had reached a critical stage, with water and sewage holding tanks starting to freeze, creating a public health and sanitation emergency.

Pimicikamak declared a state of emergency Monday after it became clear the power loss would be a lengthy one amid freezing temperatures.

Environment and Climate Change Canada predicted a high of -19 C on Tuesday and an overnight low of -30 C (a wind chill of -39 C is expected).

Pimicikamak lost power when a transmission line snapped over the Nelson River in a remote, forested area about 10 kilometres north of the First Nation.

Manitoba Hydro originally estimated power would be restored by 6 p.m. today, based on an earlier aerial survey. The estimate was pushed back to 6 p.m. Thursday after crews assessed the site Tuesday.

Repairs will take more time due to the difficult location and terrain, Hydro said.

Hydro spokesman Scott Powell said the cause of the downed line has not yet been confirmed. Downed lines are not an unheard-of issue, he added.

“Unfortunately, the location of this line and the weather conditions make this a significant issue for the community,” Powell wrote in an email.

The poles involved in the repairs are located on two separate islands.

“We already have access to the nearest shore site and are stockpiling the required materials there, and are now working to safely access the two islands,” Powell wrote.

River ice was about five centimetres thick, preventing safe access, Monias said.

About 13 Hydro staff are involved in the repairs, plus contractors.

For the restoration to be completed today, crews will need a full day of daylight and weather conditions that are safe for a helicopter to fly, Hydro said.

Pimicikamak has about 7,500 residents and is about 750 kilometres north of Winnipeg. The unincorporated community of Cross Lake is located next to the First Nation.

Indigenous Services Canada said the community’s nursing station is open for emergencies only due to the outage.

» Winnipeg Free Press