Heavy rains cause flooding in Greater Toronto Area
Evening commuters in Toronto and the GTA are having to contend with heavy downpours and flash flooding as a band of slow-moving thunderstorms passes through the city.
Pearson International Airport reported 90 mm of rain over the past two hours, which according to Chris Scott of The Weather Network, is more than one month's worth of rain for Toronto.
The TTC is reporting that subway service has stopped due to the flooding, with no service from "Downsview to St Clair West, St Andrew to Bloor, Lawrence to Finch, Jane to Kipling, and Sheppard Line," and there are major weather and power-related delays on all routes.
Environment Canada issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Toronto, Halton-Peel and York-Durham regions this evening, warning that "total rainfall amounts could locally reach 50 to 75 mm" and cautioning that with the amount of rainfall the area has been seeing lately, this could result in flash flooding.
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Several regions of the metropolitan area have already seen examples of this first-hand, in Streetsville, Mississauga, Brampton and the Georgetown/Acton area, for example:
RT @mirza_zahic_23 Mississauga and queen pic.twitter.com/U5tOqAecIx #onstorm — The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) July 8, 2013
@ab905 #onstorm #Mississauga (Hurontario/Bristol) pic.twitter.com/7TuFBkzhZZ — Mista Willy Chin (@Mista_Chin) July 8, 2013
#onstorm Sandalwood/Kennedy #Brampton parking lot outside Metro. Storm drain can't keep up @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/6XamOesWuY — Karen Bell (@Doubtfire71) July 8, 2013
Pulled over on hwy 7 westbound from georgetown to acton #onstorm #holydelugebatman pic.twitter.com/UFasYfUx5M — LD McKenzie (@uncoolmomo4) July 8, 2013
There was even more flooding reported on the DVP, bringing back memories of the end of May:
This weather though #DVP pic.twitter.com/OShfWpjyQ0
— Ria Morfidis (@TheRiaLization) July 8, 2013
Power outages have also been reported, with Enersource, the local electricity distribution company in Mississauga, reporting that about 80 per cent of the city was without power. Apparently, Square One in Mississauga was actually evacuated due to the power being out.
More reports have been coming in, where pictures weren't needed to convey the magnitude of the flooding:
RT @stephaniesmyth: North 427 ramp to Derry Rd is flooded...about three feet of water...@ambertraffic #onstorm — BC (@bconnolly00) July 8, 2013
#BREAKING: Police reporting water is coming into Union Station. #Toronto #onstorm — Jeremy Cohn (@JeremyGlobalTV) July 8, 2013
Of course. #FlashFlooding #GOtrain stuck. #RichmondHill Going nowhere fast. Heading back downtown. In reverse. #Monday! #ONstorm — Hazel Picco (@hazelpicco) July 8, 2013
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The thunderstorms are expected to end sometime this evening, with showers overnight, and then a likely repeat of the showers and thunderstorms tomorrow.
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