Scenes from Toronto’s Storm and Flood

Most of the photos in this post are from other people — click on them to see the originals.

Photo by “~Evidence~”.

Last night’s storm brought down more rain than Hurricane Hazel did, giving us 126 millimetres (just shy of five inches) of rain in two hours. Complicating matters was the fact that it started in the middle of rush hour.

Photo by “zivanod”.

The incoming front was an incredible sight, and a number of people caught it on camera.

Photo by Emily Tu.

Photo by Ann Darby.

Despite the fact that what should’ve been a half-hour drive turned into a three-hour idlefest thanks to power outages and people forgetting that intersections become four-way stops when the traffic lights go out, I got off rather lightly.

Photo by Yours Truly.

I had a nearly-full tank of gas (I generally re-fill the tank whenever I hit the half-full mark) so I didn’t have to ditch the car as many others had to.

Photo by Yours Truly.

I also had terrestrial AM radio to keep me informed, satellite radio to keep me entertained, and even this little light show on Carlingview Drive:

I even managed to give a little old lady a lift from Martin Grove and Eglinton down to Bloor and Islington. I was high and dry in my car with plenty of room; I couldn’t leave her stranded alone in the rain in good conscience:

In the meantime, on the other side of town, the Don River did its best Amazon impression, as Leah George put it:

Photo by Leah George.

The Don Valley Parkway, a major artery and often-snarled highway during rush hours, flooded over completely at certain spots:

Photo by George Kourounis.

Lake Shore was still navigable by car in most spots:

Photo by “hooksncrooks”.

Here’s Toronto’s soon-to-be most famous butt. This photo has appeared in papers all over the world:

Photo by The Canadian Press.

Here’s what will become Toronto’s most famous one-percenter problem: a ditched Ferarri. I’m pretty sure it no longer has that “new car smell” today:

Photo by Patrick Dell, Globe and Mail.

This whirlpool shot by “hooksncrooks” is great. I wonder if anyone shot any video:

Photo by “hooksncrooks”.

A good number of underpasses became impassable during the storm, but many drivers still tried to “run the rapids”:

Photo by “J P”.

Some train commuters didn’t fare much better. This GO commuter train was completely flooded out, and not just on the outside…

Photo by Christine Cho.

…but inside as well.

Photo by Alecia Fowler.

Many passengers ended up wading to dry land, while those less able to make the slog were assisted by crews in boats:

Photo by Scott Meiklejohn.

A few subway stations were also waterlogged. Here’s Queen’s Park station:

Photo by Spencer Tong.

King Street was just bad around the Liberty Village area. This is King and Atlantic:

Photo by “Zoo OWL”.

Here’s King and Dufferin:

Photo by Angelina Chapin.

Here’s Front and Simcoe:

Photo by Ashley Bernatt.