Toronto [Canada], September 4: A set of extreme thunderstorms ripped across southern Ontario, plunging Toronto's rush hour into chaos with cars trapped in flooded streets, tens of thousands without power and panicked commuters running for cover from hail and high winds.
Multiple extreme weather emergency alerts were issued and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) raised its flood warning to its highest level.
On Wednesday evening, Toronto Hydro initially said 65,000 customers were without power. Most of the affected customers were in Etobicoke, North York, midtown or East York, and the company said crews were working as "quickly and safely as possible" to restore power.
"Given the scale of the storm and the number of outages, restoration efforts may take time and vary by location," Toronto Hydro said.
Toronto police said they responded to multiple reports of fallen trees and downed power lines across the city.
Toronto Pearson International Airport experienced hundreds of flight delays and cancellations following a severe late-summer storm that brought high winds, torrential rain, and hail to the region. It called passengers to check their flight status directly with their airline before leaving for the airport.
Source: Emirates News Agency
