New Brunswick weather: 65,000 still stuck without power after ice storm

Crews from Hydro Quebec joinedefforts to restore power to more than 65,000 NB Power customers still without electricity on Thursdayafter a punishingice storm.

NB Power said 270 crews from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Maine were already working to repair the damage before the Hydro Quebec reinforcements were sent in.

TheMonctonarea and Acadian Peninsula were hardest hit by the storm, whichbrought freezing rain and ice pellets to the province on Tuesday and Wednesday.

By 6:30 p.m. Thursday, more than 14,000 NB Power customers inMoncton, Riverview and Dieppewerestill without power.Nearly 20,000 customers on the Acadian Peninsula and nearly 14,000 in theMiramichiarea were waiting for power to be restored.

In some areas,gas supplies were also running low, and fears of a shortage led to long lineups.

In Shippagan, IvanRobichaudsaid he went to get gas at 6:30 a.m. ata Shell servicestation andwaited twoand a half hours in line.

There were about 30 cars ahead of him.

"People were very patient," Robichaud said. "A few people tried to bypass the line by bringing their ownjerrycansto be filled but they were turnedaway."

MarieAndreBolduc, spokeswoman for NB Power, said the utility crews were working out of eight local centres across the province and were steadilymaking progress on restoring power. At the peak of the outages Wednesday, more than 130,000 customers lost electricity.

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NB Power reached out to other utilitiesand contractors to help get customers back online.

"Customers have been patient and we understand this is a frustrating experience for them and we're fully engaged with this massive restoration," she said.

The NB Powerwebsitesays it's hoping to have 80 per cent of customers restored by the end of Thursday night in Sussex andMoncton.

Train ploughs through downed trees in Rogersville

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Duration 0:58

Video taken on the Young Ridge Bridge in Rogersville shows a train slowly making its way down a track lined with snow, ice and downed trees.

In Tracadie, Miramichi, Sackville, Shediac and Bouctouche, NB Power expects to have power restored to 60per cent of waiting customers by the end of Thursday night.

In St. Stephen, Woodstock, Bathurst, Eel River, Rothesay and Fredericton, NB Power saidit expects 99 per cent of customers to have their power back by late Thursday night.

Bolducsaid this is one of the worst storms the province has ever seen.

"The weather has not been very co-operative over the past 48 hours," she said.

Fuses on power lines blowing in Moncton Wednesday

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Jimmy Houssen of Moncton shot this video from afar as falling trees cause fuses to blow on power lines in Moncton, lighting up the sky Wednesday.

She said residents should not approach downed power lines, or trees that are touchingpower lines.

"There'sice buildups on trees and lines."

A challenging day in Miramichi

Mayor Adam Lordonof Miramichi expected daytwo of the power outages to be a challenge but said people have been in relatively good spirits.

Miramichi residents are using the warming centres at theGolden Hawk RecreationCentre and the Goodie Shop.

Trafficlights insome areas still aren't working and a numberof ice-laden trees have toppled.

Businesses and churches that have regainedpower have opened up their doors to the community.

"We're doing everything we can to make sure people are as comfortable as possible," Lordon said.

"In a community likeMiramichi, people always come together to look after one another."

"It's definitely been a roller coaster."

Several warming centres have been set up for residents still without power across the province.

Robert Duguay, spokesman for the New Brunswick Emergency MeasuresOrganization, advised residents to avoid running generators or cooking with an open flameinside the home or garage, because the carbon monoxide this creates can become extremely dangerous, he said.

Customers still without power are reminded to turn down their heat sources and unplug major appliances in advance of power restoration to avoid a surge in demand that has the potential of causing more outages. Peopleshould also avoid leaving candles or lanterns unattended.

Duguaysaid residents without power should not opentheir freezers or fridges unlessabsolutely necessary. All perishable food in a refrigerator without electricity for more than 24 hours should be discarded.

He said New Brunswickerswithout power who have any medical concerns should call Tele-Care 811.

Schools closed, traffic lights out

The power outages forced the closure of many schools the Anglophone North andAnglophone East school districts, as well as theFrancophone South school district on Thursday morning.

InMoncton,CodiacTranspowas back up and running but supervisor TrevorRobsonsaid many sets of traffic lights on busy streets were still not working during the morning commute.

Power was still out at the lights at Vaughan HarveyBoulevardand St. George Street, Vaughan HarveyBouleveardand Gordon Streetand Edinburgh DriveandSt George Street.

Robsonsaid there hadbeen some close callsand wasreminding drivers to treat those intersections as a four-way stop.

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Isabelle LeBlanc, spokeswoman for the City of Moncton said the Superior Propane Centre remains closed until further notice because of the power outage.

All trails in municipal parks are also closed while crews asses their condition.

"We encourage those without power to make alternate arrangements with friends and family," she said.

The temperatures have been mild across the Maritimes, which is melting the ice.

BrennanAllen, CBC meteorologist,said those above normal temperatures would continueThursday.

"A weak disturbance pushing in from the south will bring a southerly flow, mild temperatures and showers... with the southern half of New Brunswick experiencing a chance of both flurries and showers," Allen said.

The northern half of New Brunswick will see cloudy conditions today and flurries this evening as winds shift from the northwest.

"The weekend is lookingcalm across the region with temperatures slightly aboveseasonal with a mixture of sun and cloud."

New Brunswick forecast

Northern New Brunswick

Today: It will be partly cloudy with a chance of flurries, light winds and a high near 2 C.

Tonight: Skies will be partly cloudy with a chance of flurries. Winds will be from the northwest at 20 km/h, gusting to 40 km/h and a low of9 C.

Friday: It will be partly cloudy with a chance of flurries and a high near 5 C.

Fredericton and area

Today: Skies will be sunny with increasing cloudiness this afternoon and a chance of flurries. Winds will be from the south at 15 km/h with a high near 2 C.

Tonight: It will be partly cloudy with a chance of flurries, winds from the west at 20 km/h, gusting to 40 km/h and a low of 7 C.

Friday: Expect a mix of sun and cloud with a chance of flurries and a high near 2 C.

Southern New Brunswick

Today: There is a chance of flurries this morning, then a mix of sun and cloud with increasing clouds late in the afternoon. Winds this afternoon will be from the southwest at 20 km/h, gusting to 40 km/h with a high of 3 C, 5 C along the Fundy coast.

Tonight: Skies will be mostly cloudy with a chance of flurries. Winds will be from the northwest at 20 km/h, gusting to 40 km/h with a low near 5 C.

Friday: Expect a mix of sun and cloud with a chance of flurries and a high near1 C.