Warwick Township has declared an emergency after nearly 180 millimetres of rain fell in just five hours Wednesday evening.
In a statement, Mayor Todd Case said that there will be significant financial impact on the community and several businesses.
“While we are fortunate that the situation does not pose a threat to public safety, financial loss is going to be huge,” said Case.
“By declaring an emergency, we can raise public awareness and provide flexibility to call on partners to assist in the response if needed.”
Residents and businesses have reported water backup, and the Warwick Conservation Area had to be evacuated and closed.
Parts of Warwick reported more than five inches of rain, closing roads and flooding highways, including the 402.
“We are fortunate no one has been reported injured as a result of last night’s flooding,” said Case.
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Staff has been working to respond to calls, address concerns, and close roads deemed unsafe.
Residents are asked to exercise caution while on the roads, and to visit the township’s Facebook page, or check 511on.ca for updates.
Other parts of southwestern Ontario reported heavy rainfall as well, with the Environment Canada weather station in Harrow reporting 185 millimetres of rain.
Near Glencoe, the driver of a transport truck, a 59 year-old Mississauga man, died after his vehicle fell into a 3-metre deep sinkhole caused by a road washout.
Trudy Kidd, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, says the extreme rain received was a “one-in-100-year” event.
“Looking at the numbers, we can call this a one-in-100 year event. In other words, in any one year, there’s about a 1% probability that this event can take place. Typically, depending on the conditions, Environment Canada puts out a warning for 50 millimetres of rain or more. So we’re talking about twice that or more.”
While the rain let up for most of the day, Kidd says that more is on the way.
“There is a risk of thunderstorms this evening for much of the southwestern Ontario area. Windsor, Chatham Kent, southern portions of Lambton County and the Western Middlesex County area, potentially even beyond that.”
The main risk, Kidd says, is winds up to 120 kilometres per hour, with potential for up to ping-pong ball sized hail.
“When you have winds of 100-120 kilometres per hour, you can see down trees. And with a saturated ground, it has a reduced ability to hold on to those roots. If you’re out and about tonight, have a reliable source of weather information, make sure you’re staying aware and have a backup plan.”
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