Power restored to most homes in Tuktoyaktuk, emergency shelter closed

Power has been restored to most of Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T. after a storm caused the hamlet's mayor to declare a local state of emergency Sundaynight.

According to Terry Testart, the Hamlet's Senior Administrative Officer, all families in the community are warm and sheltered. No injurieshave been reported.

Northwest Territories Power Corporation Pam Coulter said in an e-mail last night that power had been restored to all by one home in the community. Power Corporation crews continued to work through the night and an update is expected Monday morning.

Blizzard conditions in the Northwest Territories were responsible for the outage, which affected more then half the community and caused an emergency shelter to be opened atMangilaluk School.

According to Testart, 25 residents were moved to the shelter, and two families spent the night in the local women's shelter. The emergency shelter at Mangilaluk has since been closed.

Storm conditions led to outages in two other N.W.T. communities yesterday. High winds in Norman Wells caused two outages, one at approximately 7:00 a.m. and another at 8:30 a.m. Power was completed restored before noon.In Inuvik, an outage from 3:00 a.m. to approximately 9:25 a.m. affected about 360 customers, according to the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

Testart extended thanks from the Hamlet to theMangilalukSchool District Education Authority;the Northwest Territories Power Corporation; and the Northern Store, who opened during the outage and also gave a food donation to the shelter.

All municipalroads are open in Tuktoyaktuk, and emergency services remain on standby.