Thousands of British Columbians woke up without power Sunday morning after strong winds knocked out hydro across the South Coast.

According to BC Hydro, around 65,000 customers woke up in the dark in Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast and across Vancouver Island. 

“The high winds have caused significant damage to our system, including downed power lines and damaged power poles,” said BC Hydro spokesperson, Tanya Fish.

Fish is asking anyone who comes across a downed power line to keep a distance