Cleanup operations are continuing across the Greater Toronto Area in Canada after a powerful severe thunderstorm swept through southern Ontario on September 2, leaving widespread debris, flooded roads and tens of thousands of households without electricity.
The storm brought torrential rain, large hail and the risk of a tornado as dark skies moved over downtown Toronto and hail battered communities farther north, CBC reports.
Toronto police said officers received about 300 calls reporting downed power lines in the 24 hours following the storm.
A major impact was reported at a stadium where damage has raised concerns over a planned AC/DC concert. Live Nation said no one was injured and that officials were assessing the full extent of the damage.
The storm brought exceptionally heavy rainfall. David Phillips, a climatologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said September 2 was the wettest September 2 ever recorded in Toronto. Downtown Toronto received about 60 millimetres of rain, while some unofficial measurements recorded more than 100 millimetres.
“That’s almost a month’s worth of rain,” Phillips said.
Approximately 65,000 households across the region lost power as the storm moved through. Utility crews and emergency responders have been working to clear debris, repair damaged infrastructure and restore electricity.
Authorities continue to assess the damage while residents and businesses begin the recovery process.
By Sabina Mammadl
