Thunderstorms and Flooding Hit Toronto

On Tuesday, Toronto, Canada’s largest city, was hit by severe thunderstorms, bringing heavy rainfall and flash flooding. The extreme weather conditions left a trail of destruction, with nearly 170,000 customers losing power and numerous roads submerged.

Parts of Toronto received over 100 millimeters of rain, which is equivalent to the city’s average rainfall for the entire month of July. At Pearson Airport, 97.4 millimeters fell in just 3.5 hours, causing widespread chaos.

The Toronto Fire Service sprang into action, rescuing more than 20 people from cars and buildings. They received almost 1,700 calls for help and attended to over 500 incidents during the day. The city’s infrastructure took a hit, with major roads and freeways forced to close down.

Even celebrities like rapper Drake were not spared from the deluge, as he shared a video on social media showing his mansion flooded with ankle-deep water. The affluent neighborhood of Bridle Path, where his mansion is located, was also affected.

Images circulating on social media depicted cars submerged in water on congested roads, emergency responders using boats to reach stranded individuals, and water cascading down subway entrances. Mayor Olivia Chow highlighted the need to address climate change, as the frequency of such intense rainfall events is expected to rise significantly in the future.