Extreme Storms Flood Toronto, Cut Power to Thousands
Severe thunderstorms swept across Toronto and large parts of southern Ontario on Wednesday, bringing torrential rain, large hail and destructive winds that flooded major roads, knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers and disrupted flights and events across the region.
Toronto Storm Leaves Tens of Thousands Without Power
Toronto Hydro reported that around 65,000 customers were without electricity at the peak of the storm, with outages affecting Scarborough, Etobicoke, Toronto Centre, East York and other neighbourhoods.
Fallen trees and damaged power lines were reported across the city, while emergency crews responded to fires and other weather-related incidents.
Severe thunderstorm alerts escalated during the afternoon and evening, with warnings of wind gusts exceeding 110 km/h, large hail, torrential rainfall and a risk of tornadoes.
Flooding Hits Toronto Roads and Don Valley Parkway
Intense rainfall caused widespread localised flooding, leaving vehicles stranded and prompting rescue operations in parts of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area.
Sections of the Don Valley Parkway were affected by floodwater, while several underpasses and low-lying roads became temporarily impassable.
Drivers were urged to avoid flooded roads as emergency teams worked to clear debris and assist stranded motorists.
Toronto Flights Disrupted as Storm Damages Venue
Air travel was also affected at Toronto Pearson International Airport. By Wednesday evening, around 10% of scheduled departures and arrivals were listed as cancelled, with many additional flights delayed.
Rogers Stadium sustained significant storm damage, adding to disruption affecting entertainment and other scheduled activities across the city.
Authorities began assessing damage after the strongest storms moved away, while restoration crews worked to reconnect customers and reopen affected roads.
