Heavy rain in Ottawa led to flooding
As a result, homes were flooded, roads were blocked and people were left without electricity.
A heavy downpour hit Ottawa on Thursday, flooding roads and homes and causing power outages. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. In the afternoon, the skies cleared and water levels began to drop. However, the situation remains dangerous in some parts of the capital, according to the city authorities.
However, Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Ottawa-Gatineau region this afternoon.
According to Environment Canada, at least 5 centimeters of rain fell in Ottawa within an hour and a half, while the capital's weather station recorded more than 78 centimeters of rain falling between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., with nearby areas receiving even more, ranging from 8 to 11 centimeters.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe asked Ottawa residents on social media to be careful on roads and sidewalks and try to stay safe.
Hydro crews reported that they responded to several power outages and warned drivers to be careful when driving through intersections with downed traffic lights. At the height of the storm, approximately 24,000 people were without power, according to Hydro Ottawa. However, by 3:30 p.m., less than a thousand people needed power restored.
The Ottawa Fire Services received several calls reporting flooded streets and vehicles. Many people were forced to abandon their vehicles on flooded roads. As a result, the city's police service had to close some roads to get traffic moving and remove flooded and abandoned vehicles from the roadway.
