Commuters making their way in and out of Toronto during the evening rush hour should expect delays as some key downtown arterial roads have been impacted by flooding.
Toronto police were forced to close Lake Shore Boulevard West near the Exhibition Grounds as water covered the road. However, officers have been gradually reopening the road and all lanes were open as of 4:15 p.m.
Toronto police closed the Bayview Extension south of River Street for part of the afternoon and evening due to flooding.
GO Transit said a high-water alarm was activated on the Richmond Hill train line Thursday afternoon, prompting crews to attend and inspect the line for possible flooding.
A spokesperson said it was determined it’s safe for trains to pass, adding staff will be monitoring conditions and trains could be re-routed and or cancelled if flooding becomes an issue. GO buses are experiencing residual delays due to slower traffic
The Toronto Region and Conservation Authority (TRCA) issued a flood watch Thursday.
WATCH: Thursday’s weather system caused flooding across Toronto, including the Bayview Extension, Lake Shore Boulevard West and Kew Beach.
Rehana Rajabali, a TRCA flood risk engineer, said areas flooded near the Don River will experience short-term issues while it will take longer for water to recede on affected areas near Lake Ontario.
“Some of the areas where there is flooding because of the lake or because of winds, such as the Beaches, that’s a much longer burn situation,” Rajabali said.
Global News Chief Meteorologist Anthony Farnell said Wednesday afternoon that the worst of the rain is done and a few showers are expected throughout the evening.
“Water levels are cresting now and will start to recede late this afternoon,” Farnell said.
Environment Canada said as of 8 p.m., 54.8 millimetres of rain were recorded on the Toronto Islands and 40.6 millimetres at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Toronto Hydro reported crews were dealing with outages in different parts of the city.
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