SEVERE WEATHER | Toronto floods

Must see: How and why Toronto got so swamped, so fast

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Caroline Floyd

Meteorologist

Wednesday, August 8, 2018, 3:15 PM - Downtown Toronto was in the wrong place at the wrong time Tuesday night, as a slow-moving area of tropical moisture-fueled rain showers absolutely drenched the city. Radar estimates indicate that some spots received more than 100 mm in less than 3 hours, causing extensive flooding over parts of the downtown core. Didn't see any rain last night? You're not alone -- the heaviest rain was concentrated over a very small area, and that made the difference between seeing more than 70 mm of rain, or 2, over a distance that's probably shorter than your morning commute.

We take a look at some of the amazing images from the event, as well as the cause, below.

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WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS:

Radar indicates heaviest rainfall amounts were locally greater than 120 mm

Heaviest rain fell from North York, near the 400/401 interchange, then south across Downtown Toronto to Toronto Island

Heavy rain was very localized; Pearson recorded only 6 mm, Buttonville only 2.4 mm

WATCH BELOW: RADAR IMAGES SHOW THE SLOW-MOVING CLUSTER OF STORMS DRENCHING THE CITY





WHAT HAPPENED?

Storms developed around 7:30 pm Tuesday evening, when a lingering afternoon lake breeze off of Lake Ontario butted up against a gradually southward-moving boundary from the northeast, which was likely the lake breeze generated by Georgian Bay. This created a local boundary with enhanced lift right along the 401 corridor north of the city, which in turn teamed up with significant tropical moisture in the atmosphere to unleash a deluge that drifted very slowly south as the storm motion overcame the dying lake breeze -- right over the downtown core.

The result was widespread flash flooding, as rain quickly overwhelmed drainage systems and flooded underpasses, roads, and, in some cases, buildings. Toronto Police services responded to numerous rescue calls through the night, including one case of two men being trapped in a rapidly-filling elevator.

Flooding rescue: Alliance Ave / Rockcliffe Blvd

-2 people stuck in an elevator in a bsmt building

-water was 6 ft high inside

-Police rescue 2 men with only 1 foot of air space left

-injuries reported, non life threatening

-TFS/EMS on scene#GO1452695

^ka — Toronto Police OPS (@TPSOperations) August 8, 2018

Flooding: Wilson Ave / Dubray Ave

-flooding under the bridge

-3 vehs stuck, occupants out of vehs

-TFS /Police on scene

-Eastbound on Keele and Westbound at Dufferin closed#GO1451476

^ka — Toronto Police OPS (@TPSOperations) August 8, 2018

Tonight’s storm and heavy rains are driving high call volumes for @Toronto_Fire crews tonight. At present, our crews are managing 50 concurrent incidents. Please be safe and alert as you move around the city - lots of standing water on the roads. Current CAD view screenshot. pic.twitter.com/aWGXROB5j1 — Matthew Pegg (@ChiefPeggTFS) August 8, 2018





Another round of rain moving in from the south delayed the drainage of standing waters in some places Wednesday morning. Toronto traffic cameras still showed water covering some roads by the start of morning rush hour. Fortunately the heaviest of this latest batch of rain moved over the Niagara Peninsula, rather than over the city itself. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are again possible across the region Wednesday afternoon.

Below are some of the remarkable images and videos that emerged from Tuesday night's flash flooding event.

Two cars almost completely submerged on Simcoe just south of Front #onstorm @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/NEXGzjIbqF — Kelly Sonnenburg TWN (@kellysonnenburg) August 8, 2018

Toronto Flooding - As water starts to subside we can finally see the 3 vehicles in the underpass at Wilson Ave near Keele St. #onstorm pic.twitter.com/k8J0VZFZq2 — Tony Smyth (@LateNightCam) August 8, 2018

A friend sent me this video of Scotiabank Arena (Formally known as Air Canada Centre/ACC) flooding tonight. This happened after the Shakira concert. @CP24 #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/YZ91tKUv4F — Kris Pangilinan (@KrisReports) August 8, 2018





WATCH BELOW: 'WATER WAS UP TO HERE': MAN, COPS SPEAK ABOUT HEROIC ELEVATOR RESCUE IN TORONTO FLOODS









</s>TORONTO — Downtown Toronto was inundated with heavy rain late Tuesday that closed several streets and underpasses due to flash flooding and prompted a dramatic elevator rescue.

Environment Canada had issued a special weather statement for the city earlier in the evening, saying between 50 and 100 millimetres of rain was expected in some locations, particularly near the lakeshore.

The federal agency said more than 64 millimetres of rain had fallen at Billy Bishop Airport in just two hours.

Police say two men had to be rescued from an elevator that was stuck in a basement in the city's north end. The water had almost filled the elevator until the men were rescued with only "one foot of air space left."</s>Residents in Toronto are sloshing through the aftermath of a heavy rain storm that caused flash flooding in portions of the city, submerging several vehicles and forcing road closures.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement ahead of the summer storm, warning of the potential for 50 to 100 millimetres of rain Tuesday evening.

READ MORE: Heavy rain causes widespread flooding, power outages in Toronto

According to a preliminary weather summary issued by Environment Canada on Wednesday after 12:30 a.m., the heaviest rain hit Highways 400 and 401, the area near Allen Road, the downtown core and the Toronto Islands.

The weather agency said approximately 50 to 75 millimetres of rain fell in the span of two to three hours across the area. Localized areas may have experienced higher amounts of rainfall. At the peak of the storm, nearly 16,000 customers were without power, according to Toronto Hydro.

Police and fire crews responded to several calls of submerged vehicles while two men had to be rescued from an elevator in a commercial building in the city’s north end.

Toronto police said two people called 911 after 10:50 p.m. to report that they were trapped in an elevator in the basement as water began to fill it.

“As the water was rising very, very quickly, they only had about a foot of airspace left inside the elevator and it was completely closed, so officers pried the elevator open and rescued the two men,” spokesperson Katrina Arrogante told Global News.

She said the officers had to find a crowbar and swim through the basement to access the elevator.

Photos from around the city show the extent of the flooding and its aftermath. Take a look.</s>Heavy rain hammered Southern Ontario last night but nowhere more sever than in Toronto.

Flash floding drenched parking garages, soaked streets, and forced the rescue of dozens of people, including a pair of co-workers trapped in an elevator with water that was over their heads.

Video shows a firefighter trying frantically to get to a person trapped in a sinking car.

Parts of Toronto were hammered by as much as 72 millimetres of rain last night in a two hour span.

Much of the city was under water.

The storm was a lot more harrowing for two others who were trapped in an elevator that was quickly filling up with water.

Klever Freire and his co-worker were pulled to safety just in time last night. The water was up to their necks when firefighters arrived. He says all he could think about was his daughter.

The two weren’t able to call for help initially because they were in an elevator, in a basement They had no cell signal, and the elevator phone wasn’t working.

When police officers arrived, the water in the elevator was more than 6 feet deep and the men only had about a foot of air space.

Cst. Ryan Barnett from the Toronto Police Services says, “We could hear them inside screaming for help, saying the water was too high and they needed help.”

Officers Barnett and McSweeney say they had to tread water but they managed to pry open the elevator doors with a crowbar.

The Toronto Fire Department responded to more than 600 calls for people needing help including the rescue of a 5 year old boy from a flooding basement apartment.</s>Residents in Toronto are sloshing through the aftermath of a heavy rain storm that caused flash flooding in portions of the city, submerging several vehicles and forcing road closures.Environment Canada issued a special weather statement ahead of the summer storm, warning of the potential for 50 to 100 millimetres of rain Tuesday evening.According to a preliminary weather summary issued by Environment Canada on Wednesday after 12:30 a.m., the heaviest rain hit Highways 400 and 401, the area near Allen Road, the downtown core and the Toronto Islands.The weather agency said approximately 50 to 75 millimetres of rain fell in the span of two to three hours across the area. Localized areas may have experienced higher amounts of rainfall.according to Toronto Hydro.Police andin a commercial building in the city's north end.Toronto police said two people called 911 after 10:50 p.m. to report that they were trapped in an elevator in the basement as water began to fill it."As, they only had about a foot of airspace left inside the elevator and it was completely closed, so officers pried the elevator open and rescued the two men," spokesperson Katrina Arrogante told Global News.She said the officers had to find a crowbar and swim through the basement to access the elevator.Photos from around the city show the extent of the flooding and its aftermath. Take a look.</s>As heavy localized rainfall batters Toronto Tuesday evening, parts of the city have already been flooded. Power has been restored to North York after a massive power outage earlier this evening. Environment Canada has put out a special weather statement warning of heavy rainfall in Toronto Tuesday evening. The wave of rain is moving very slowly, and according to Environment Canada, there will likely be 25-50 mm of rain an hour in local areas. Some areas could receive as much as 100 mm of rain in total.

Toronto Hydro lost their power supply from Hydro One around 9:30 p.m. due to an issue at the Finch Transmission Station, putting 16,000 in the dark initially. At 11:30 p.m., power was restored. Toronto Hydro is also responding to a few scattered outages outside of the North York. Toronto Police have tweeted that they and Fire Services have received multiple reports of flooding, and Fire Services were responding to as many as 82 active calls shortly before 11 p.m.

Twitter users are posting videos and photos showing streets that look more like rivers in places. Some roads are completely underwater, and police have been responding to multiple calls for help by people trapped in vehicles floundering in water. On Wilson Ave. near Keele St., three vehicles got stuck in the rising water around 9 p.m. and quickly became completely submerged after the occupants safely climbed out. Although it is no longer raining in the area, Sgt. Claudio Martelluzzi said the top of the vehicles can’t be seen from the surface, and that they may be under five to six feet of water still. In the area of Lower Simcoe St. and Bremner Blvd., four different vehicles are stuck with individuals inside, and the marine unit and Fire Services are on scene responding. Around Dovercourt Rd. and Dupont St., police said there were two vehicles completely submerged, and possibly a third also in the water, and that the northbound lanes are blocked. Paramedics have assesed one person at that scene, but no one has been transported to hospital.

Just how many people are currently trapped in floating or submerged vehicles is unknown. No injuries have been reported as of yet. The underpass under the CP Rail on Ossington, just north of Dupont, is washed out and two vehicles appear to be completely submerged in the water. I'm told Shaw is impassable too and if Dufferin is in the same shape, getting north of Dupont in west Toronto will be a chore. A bus was stopped right in front of my house, its driver baffled.

Several road closures are in effect. Lake Shore Blvd. W. is closed between Bathurst St. and Strachan Ave. and the northbound Don Valley Parkway is closed at the Gardiner Espressway. The left-most lane on the Expressway is also flooded, though the other lanes are not. There is no service between Finch West and Wilson stations on Line 1 due to a signal problem. Shuttle buses are running. Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said that flooding near Weston Station has shut down UP Express service, and flooding near Downsview is holding GO transit to Barrie. The Bay West Teamway is also closed at Union Station. A Tash Sultana concert happening outside at RBC Echo Beach was ended early due to the weather. The heaviest showers had drifted southeast toward the downtown Toronto and Toronto Island areas by 9:30 p.m., the weather agency said. Environment Canada is warning drivers that visibility could suddenly decrease, and there may be water pooling on the roads. By midnight, the worst of the rain is expected to be over.</s>Toronto Hydro officials are warning residents that if their homes are flooded after a slow-moving storm moved across the city Tuesday night, they should not go into the flooded areas.

“If you’re waking up to a flooded basement, please remember that electricity and water don’t mix. Don’t use flooded appliances, outlets, switches or breaker panels until they have been checked by a qualified electrician,” a Tweet by Toronto Hydro read.

The heavy downpour produced between 70 and 110 millimetres of rain in parts of Toronto over a two-hour span — Global News meteorologist Ross Hull said the normal rainfall amount for the entire month of August is 78.1 millimetres.

READ MORE: Heavy rain causes widespread flooding, power outages in Toronto

City of Toronto officials said the first thing a resident should do if their house is flooded, is contact Toronto Hydro to disconnect the power.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) warned homeowners not to turn on any electronics or touch any outlets until an electrician has had the opportunity to survey the situation.

The IBC also warned residents who have gas services, to check for fumes -if there is an odour, the gas company should be called immediately.

Once the damage has been assessed by a qualified electrician, home owners can then begin to protect and/or save their property and any valuables that may have been damaged or remain underwater.

“Board up holes or shut off water supplies to ensure your belongings are not damaged further. Move items out of wet basements and away from flooded parts of your home. Save receipts for materials you use,” the IBC said, adding homeowners should contact their insurance company immediately.

There are also health hazards that homeowners should be mindful about in the case of flooding.

“Homeowners may be exposed to waterborne diseases, corrosive cleaning agents and irritants found in leftover sludge from a flooded basement,” city officials said.

WATCH: Baseball fans laugh as they wade through flood waters in Toronto following Blue Jays game

According to the city of Toronto website, in the wake of flooding, residents should:
• Keep children and pets out of the affected area until cleanup has been completed.
• Wash all surfaces with hot water and liquid detergent, rinse and thoroughly dry and ventilate the area.
• Sanitize walls and floors using a solution of household bleach (mix 1 cup bleach with 5 gallons of water).
• Remove and discard drywall and insulation that has been contaminated with sewage or flood waters.
• Wash all clothes worn during the cleanup in hot water and detergent.
• Discard any packaged or non-packaged food items that may have come in contact with the flood waters.
• Discard all contaminated items that cannot be washed and disinfected (i.e. textiles).

To help protect homes from flooding, the IBC said homeowners should keep eavestroughs clear, ensure there is proper grading so water would drain away from the home, and ensure downspouts extend at least six feet from the basement wall. Homeowners should also create an inventory of the valuables in their home and make sure they are stored away from areas that could be prone to flooding.

READ MORE: Toronto police officers rescue 2 men from flooded elevator during rainstorm

All residents in the home should also be taught how to shut off the electricity.</s>Toronto is bailing out and mopping up after last night’s deluge.

Environment Canada had issued a special weather statement earlier in the evening, forecasting between 50 and 100 millimetres of rain, particularly near the lakeshore areas of the city.

Cars were water-logged and stranded under bridges, thousands of fans at the Blue Jays game had to wade through ponds of water that accumulated in some of the pathways in the Rogers Centre, and the Royal York Hotel had water flowing out of the ventilation system in the lobby, as the city was overwhelmed with the rain.

Victoria Pike tweeted this photo, with the description: “Fire hydrant ruptured in the storm tonight and I basically had to swim home at King/Atlantic. Streetcar is stuck in over a foot of water!”

Several of the condo towers had rain water pouring down through piping and ventilation systems.

One of the worst cases was a flooded elevator in a basement that left two men with less than a foot of airspace.

Police got there in time to eventually rescue the men.

Flash-flooding left cars floating in ponds of water that accumulated when the drainage system was overwhelmed.

More than 16,000 people were left without power, affecting even the commuter trains

And there is more rain in Toronto today.</s>Dozens of homes, cars and public structures were seriously damaged in Toronto last night when an entire month's worth of rain hit the city over just two hours of an intense storm.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement on Tuesday night around 9:50 p.m. warning of "heavy showers" in downtown Toronto, particularly near the waterfront.

By 11 p.m., the federal weather agency reported that 64.3 mm of rain had fallen at Billy Bishop Airport — just a little bit more than the average local rainfall for the entire month of July. Other parts of the city are said to have received closer to 20 mm.

The localized weather system moved out over Lake Ontario around midnight, but not before turning the city's downtown core into a waterlogged, dangerous mess.

Flash floods turned roads like Front Street, Lake Shore Boulevard and even King Street West into rivers faster than cars could manage to get out.

Public transit services were shut down on account of, well, look at Union Station:

Streetcars and buses had a particularly rough time getting through the surprise waterways under highly-trafficked overpasses like those at Queen and Dufferin.

And near King and Atlantic.

A ruptured fire hydrant in the latter location saw some streetcars almost go underwater, with customers reporting they "basically had to swim home."

Condos from Fort York all the way up to Queen West were evacuated on account of rising waters in hallways...

People who had been attending the Shakira concert at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena got soaked on their way home from the venue.

In some cases, they got soaked inside the venue, too.

Toronto Police say that marine unit officers had to rescue the occupants of at least four cars near Lower Simcoe Street and Bremner Boulevard. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The rain has slowed down significantly, but some parts of the city remain dangerously (or at least uncomfortably) water-logged.

Storms could return to Toronto on Wednesday afternoon and evening, according to Environment Canada, though not nearly as much water is expected.

Toronto Hydro continues to restore power to areas of the city affected by outages, and warns anyone with a flooded basement to "please remember that electricity and water don't mix."</s>The heavy downpour Toronto received last night is creating some headaches this morning, as routes are flooded and subway service is suspended.

Currently, there is no service between Wilson and Finch West Stations, as the TTC is pumping large amounts of water out of the tunnels and off the tracks.

As with any delay, there are of course huge lines and crowds forming on station platforms and stops.

Flooding precautions and fixes are also in short supply, as the system is stretched to its limit trying to keep up.

Last night, a torrential downpour soaked Toronto with an insane amount of water. Close to 70 mm of rain was measured at Billy Bishop Airport, and Environment Canada issued a heavy rain warning for many parts of the city.

As a result, many TTC services, roads, sidewalks, underpasses, buildings, and even the PATH are afflicted with flooding and dangerous conditions, making commutes a hazardous minefield.

Be careful out there, Toronto! More rain is expected Wednesday night.
Toronto sees severe flooding in many parts of the city after some areas receive over 100 millimeters of rain.