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Heavy rain in Ottawa causes flooding, power outages and road closures

Click to play video: 'Heavy rain in Ottawa causes flooding, power outages and road closures'
Heavy rain in Ottawa causes flooding, power outages and road closures
WATCH: Environment Canada said Ottawa sustained at least 50 millimetres of rainfall during a 90-minute span – Aug 10, 2023

Heavy rain in Ottawa caused the flooding of roads and properties across the city on Thursday.

As skies began to clear late in the afternoon, the City of Ottawa said no injuries had been reported.

“While water levels are receding, conditions remain dangerous in some neighbourhoods,” the city said in a statement at 4 p.m. Thursday.

Severe thunderstorm warnings from Environment Canada were in effect for the Ottawa-Gatineau area over the course of the afternoon.

Environment Canada said Ottawa sustained at least 50 millimetres of rainfall during one 90-minute span, with Ottawa’s climate weather station recording more than 70 millimetres of rain between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that the city was “currently facing another weather storm.”

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“Please exercise caution on the roads and pathways and be safe,” the post added.

Click to play video: 'Severe thunderstorm warning for Toronto and parts of GTA'
Severe thunderstorm warning for Toronto and parts of GTA

Hydro crews were responding to several power outages in Ottawa’s west end on Thursday afternoon and were warning drivers to be cautious when going through intersections with traffic light outages.

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During the peak of the storm, Hydro Ottawa reported that about 24,000 customers lost power. It estimated at about 3:30 p.m. that fewer than 1,000 customers still needed their power restored.

Ottawa Fire Services said it had received several calls about flooded streets and cars.

Some roads were closed, including Bank Street, Hunt Club Road, Woodroffe Avenue and Merivale Road, but all had reopened by late afternoon.

OC Transpo also closed the east entrance to the LRT’s Parliament station due to leakage.

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