Whether dodging massive puddles or just trying to stay upright, getting around on foot in Montreal on Wednesday morning was difficult after freezing rain overnight.
READ MORE: Snow, freezing rain expected to hit Quebec this week
Nearly 24,000 Hydro-Quebec subscribers had no power as of 5:00 a.m. Wednesday morning due to damage to the power transmission system.
In Montérégie, the most affected region, nearly 9,300 subscribers were in the dark shortly before dawn.
The total was nearly 5,300 in the Outaouais, nearly 3,700 in the Laurentians, about 3,200 in the Centre-du-Québec region and nearly 1,800 on the island of Montreal.
Environment Canada has lifted its freezing rain warning for most areas including Montreal, the Laurentians and Montérégie, but it remained in effect for the regions of Trois-Rivières, Beauce and Quebec.
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Montreal city work crews are racing to tackle the icy sidewalks across the city.
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Spokesperson Philippe Sabourin says about 1,000 crews have been assigned to spread abrasives throughout the territory.
“This weather is extreme,” Sabourin said. “The city is facing many challenges we have icy sidewalks, puddles, and there is the snow-loading operation.”
The city’s major concern is water accumulation turning to ice overnight with temperatures expected to drop 20 degree Celsius within a 24-hour period.
“The priority for the city will be to clear and scrape and salt every sidewalk in town,” Sabourin said.
Montreal-area hospitals are bracing for an influx of injuries due to falls on ice according to emergency room physician Dr. Mitch Shulman.
“We always see a tremendous increase in the number of people who have fallen and the number of people who have broken parts of their body, usually their wrists,” Shulman said.
With a high likelihood of puddles freezing overnight Wednesday, Shulman suggests slowing your driving speed, widening the base in which you walk and buying ice grips for boots if possible.
— with files from Canadian press
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