More than 150,000 Quebec homes still without power after weekend storm
There are 174,186 homes still without power after a violent storm that left a trail of destruction across southern Quebec.
That number is down about 25,000 homes since Monday morning, when nearly 200,000 households were in the dark -- which was less than half the total number that lost power at the height of the storm.
The Laurentians remain the most affected, with 95,562 households powerless as of 5 p.m., followed by Lanaudière at 55,870 and Outaouais at 35,706.
At a press conference in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, on Montreal's North Shore, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonatan Julien noted Hydro-Quebec hopes to quickly restore power to 80 per cent of homes affected by the storm.
He states the Crown corporation is entering an important phase of work, and it may take longer to reconnect some customers.
Hydro-Quebec could not say when all homes will regain power as at the height of the storm on Saturday, 550,000 customers experienced blackouts.
Sunday, the Crown corporation noted that more than 400 teams were on the ground working to restore power to as many homes as possible, "working nonstop," according to Julien.
"The storm caused a lot of damage in several regions, especially in the Laurentians and Outaouais," tweeted Premier François Legault.
"With Hydro-Quebec, we are making sure to reconnect all Quebecers as soon as possible. I thank the teams who are working hard on the ground."
Strong winds were recorded in several locations during the peak of the storm late Saturday afternoon -- 151 km/h on Lake Memphremagog, 96 km/h in Trois-Rivières and 90 km/h in Gatineau.
The Greater Montreal area was mostly spared as the storm moved from Ontario through to Outaouais, the Laurentians, Lanaudière and Mauricie to Capitale-Nationale late Saturday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Townships and Chaudière-Appalaches were affected by another thunderstorm during the night.
The violent storms have left at least nine people dead.
FALLEN TREES AND DAMAGED BUILDINGS
In Quebec City, part of the roof of a 72-unit condo building was blown off due to the storm.
Residents were evacuated, and only those living on the lower floors have been able to return home due to water damage in the upper units, said Alexandre Lajoie with Quebec City's fire department.
In Lanaudière, two schools were damaged by the weather.
In a note to parents, the Centre de services scolaires des Samares says it is working with experts to assess the situations at Sainte-Bernadette School in Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes and Saint-Alphonse School in Saint-Alphonse-Rodriguez and will soon share its plan for a "safe return to class."
In Val-Morin, in the Laurentians, residents are being asked to keep their drinking water consumption to a minimum.
"Due to the power outage, the water supply from our pumping stations is slow," the municipality wrote on its Facebook page.
In Outaouais, several Fassett residents shared photos on social media of the fallen bell tower at the Saint-Fidèle church, which was built in 1918.
-- With files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.