Power restored after suspected lightning strike leaves 120,000 northern B.C. residents in the dark

Power has been restored to more than 120,000 residents in northern and central British Columbia after asuspected lightning strike caused widespread power outages Wednesday night.

According to B.C. Hydro, the outages beganat about 9:30 p.m. and quickly spread across the region.More than 120,000 residents were without power at one point.

Hydro said alightning strike was suspected to have caused thetransmission outage and led to the massive power loss.

Communities including Vanderhoof, Smithers, Fort St John, Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Hudsons Hope, Houston and Burns Lake were impacted.