The cleanup from one of the wettest days in Toronto history is just beginning — and the picture of damage done to property and infrastructure is becoming clearer.
Roughly 98 mm of rain fell in Toronto on Tuesday, according to Environment Canada, the fifth-wettest day on record in this city. It washed out highways, subway stations and power for around 170,000 homes and businesses, and brought much of the city to a standstill.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada estimates the cost of the flood could easily surpass $1 billion, making it comparable to the 2013 Toronto flood — which was one of the 10 most expensive natural disasters in Canada.
From basements to cars to highways, here’s what was damaged in Tuesday’s deluge.
Lower Don River where the “plug” was opened last week. The Waterfront Toronto project continues Wednesday as Toronto cleans up from a storm of the decade the previous day
R.J. Johnston/Toronto StarPower system
Power has been restored to virtually all Toronto Hydro customers, according to the utility’s outage map.
Hydro One — the provincial utility that provides electricity to regional companies — continues to work on the damage at the west end station that was flooded Tuesday, Hydro One spokesperson Tiziana Baccega Rosa said.
Public transportation
One of the stairwells to the TTC platform still has water leaking from the ceiling at Union Station Wednesday.
Steve Russell Toronto Star
The Bay Street concourse was blocked off due to flooding at Union Station on Tuesday.
Sean Vokey/The Canadian PressThe TTC is still investigating damages, spokesperson Adrian Grundy said Wednesday. He said there was a significant amount of damage to the elevator shafts at Union Station, which are still out of service after they were filled with water.
Residential buildings
The city said it received more than 700 calls for flooded basements.
A nursing home in Mississauga was evacuated when its first floor flooded with more than five feet of water. It took five hours to float all 114 residents to safety. There were no reported injuries.
Spectrum Building Services, an emergency restoration company, received as many calls in three hours on Tuesday as they normally would get in a month, company president Matthew Gray said. They received calls for residential houses, townhouse complexes, condo owners and parking garages that needed to be drained, Gray said.
Damage included leaking roofs and condo balconies, backed up pipes and flooded parking garages.
Highways and roads
Flooding across the GTA may have dealt more than $1 billion in damages, an early estimate shows.
Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services
Cars are partially submerged in flood waters in the Don Valley following heavy rain in Toronto on Tuesday.
Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian PressWhen the flooding cleared, large chunks of mud and grass were on some highways and ramps in the GTA. That’s since been cleared and there was no other structural damage, Ontario Provincial Police Const. Scott Stratton said.
On Highway 407, the rubber fill lifted in both directions due to the rainfall and fluctuating temperatures, but it posed no danger to drivers, according to spokesperson Jeff Dean.
“As we continue to experience hot summer months, we may see more of this on the road,” Dean said in an emailed statement. “We’ll be permanently replacing this rubber in a phased approach.”
The city said it was too early to estimate the damage to Toronto roads.
One of the worst flash floods in Toronto history in 2013, and a record-breaking ice storm that pummeled southern Ontario and Eastern Canada that same year cost insurers $3.2 billion.
Schools
Toronto District School Board staff are checking schools for damage but have no exact number on how many buildings were impacted, spokesperson Shari Schwartz-Maltz told the Star.
“Anecdotally, we have heard of a few minor issues but nothing significant,” Schwartz-Maltz said.
Around 20 schools lost power on Tuesday, but all buildings now have power.
The catholic school board told the Star “there does not seem to be any reported damage at school sites at this time.”
City Hall
The ceiling of one office at City Hall partially collapsed and water ran down several stories of an interior stairwell. Recycling bins caught water dripping from the ceiling on the second floor.
Evergreen Brick Works
At Evergreen Brick Works — which was unable to get flood insurance because it’s located on a floodplain — the owners of the Picnic Cafe estimate the flood did between $250,000 to $300,000 in damage.
They’ve had to throw out new coffee stands, tables and all of their food. Co-owner Michael Sullivan said the common area looks like “a bomb hit it.”
Boats adrift after docks broken
About 20 boats were ripped from the shore and carried down Sixteen Mile Creek in Oakville to Lake Ontario, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage but no injuries. The boats were corralled by Halton Regional Police, who shuttled boat owners from the shore to their vessel. The boats were then taken to Bronte Harbour, where they are now docked.
“It’s absolutely amazing that these large floating docks with the size of these vessels made it down the creek … unobstructed,” said Ryan Glaves, vice commander of the Oakville Marine Search and Rescue. “This could have been a lot worse.”
Cars and flood damage
A number of vehicles were stranded in deep water on the Don Valley Parkway, which had practically merged with the nearby Don River. Other cars were stuck in downtown Toronto.
You should avoid driving through flooded areas if at all possible, experts warn. Here’s what to do if you have no choice, and what happens afterwards.
The maximum depth a standard car can drive through relatively safely is about 10 centimetres. Water can fry your car’s electronics and corrode its electrical connectors, eventually compromising safety.
Signs of long-term water damage can include a dank, mouldy smell; pockets of water or dampness, including the wheel well or inside the headlights; and lingering mud or debris in crevices, like under the seats.
Leandro Rendon’s car got stuck in thigh-deep water on the bridge that splits Front and Bremner on Lower Simcoe Street.
“S—- happens, nothing we can do,” he said. “It’s just a car. It’s material stuff.”
“Guess I’ll have to get a new one.”
With files from Star staff.
Environment Canada is calling for up to 125 mm of rain on Tuesday. There may be 40 mm of rainfall per hour.
Correction - July 25, 2024
This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly referred to cost of the estimated damages from flooding to Picnic Café, a tenant at Evergreen Brick Works, as the cost of the total damages to Evergreen Brick Works public space. In fact, Evergreen Brick Works is still assessing the full scope of the impact.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation