Major Roads Shut Down as Heavy Rain Submerges City

(Canada) A powerful storm struck Toronto on Wednesday, leaving the city grappling with flood-like conditions and widespread damage. Heavy rainfall, golf ball-sized hail, and strong winds caused severe disruptions across multiple neighborhoods. Streets were submerged, trees and power lines toppled, and several buildings sustained roof damage. The storm forced the closure of major routes, including the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) in both directions. Portions of Allen Road, Gardiner Expressway, Lake Shore Boulevard West, and Bay view Avenue Extension were also shut down. Authorities urged residents to avoid driving through waterlogged roads. According to Toronto Hydro, nearly 65,000 customers lost power at the peak of the storm. While electricity was restored to about 20,000 households, approximately 45,000 remained without power. Repair crews worked tirelessly to fix downed lines and damaged equipment. In Vaughan, floodwaters trapped cars, trucks, and transit buses. Emergency responders rescued several people, including children, from submerged vehicles. Similar scenes unfolded in Scarborough, where areas such as Golf Club Road experienced heavy flooding. The Michael Garron Hospital reported water entering its emergency department, though officials confirmed that services continued without interruption. Meanwhile, the Canadian National Exhibition was forced to close early, and multiple concerts were canceled due to unsafe conditions. Environment Canada had issued severe weather warnings for parts of southern Ontario, cautioning about the risk of tornadoes. Meteorologists noted the possibility of one or two small tornadoes in southern and southwestern Ontario. Later, weather alerts for Toronto were lifted.