Thousands of Ontario residents are still without power after a series of spring storms. Heavy rains and localized flooding are hampering the work of 4,000 Hydro One technicians restoring power. As of Saturday, 100,000 customers remain without power.

In Minden, where roads are damaged, about 7,000 homes are without power. In Orillia, where an ice storm has damaged the city, a relief center has been opened. Overwhelmed sewage treatment plants in several communities are dumping inadequately treated wastewater into rivers.

Hydro One reports more than 2,000 damaged poles and the need to fully restore parts of the network. It is especially difficult to reach remote areas and seasonal properties such as vacation homes and trailers, which account for about 31,000 outages.

In Peterborough, where 14,000 people are without power, officials are asking people to conserve water. Kawartha Lakes (26,000 without power) extended storm removal landfill hours.

Recovery in affected areas will continue into next week, and longer in hard-to-reach areas.