Fil-Canadians safe from massive flooding in Toronto

Widespread flooding recently hit much of Toronto following a severe thunderstorm. It caused massive disruption throughout the city and left commuters stranded and residents without power.

Many were unprepared for the impact of the heavy rainfall, with some areas receiving over 100 milliliters of rain in just a few hours.

Videos showed vehicles at a standstill on some of Toronto’s busiest roads while several cars were also partially submerged in floodwaters.

Officials said the city’s main transit center as well as parts of the Billy Bishop Airport – were affected by the flooding.

Filipino-Canadian Kim Villafuerte recalled getting stuck for hours on the highway while driving her children to an appointment.

"It wasn’t moving at all," she said. "We didn't know how deep the water was so we were there for like three hours. I was more concerned because I have my kids with me. Luckily, after two and a half hours, the water began to subside."

Villafuerte also believes Toronto was not built for situations such as heavy flooding. She herself admitted to being caught off guard by the experience.

Thousands of residents experienced power outages due to the storm and many homes had flooded basements and property damage.  

Lorie Del Rosario’s family heard a loud explosion before water gushed from the rooftop of their 25-floor apartment building, forcing them to evacuate.

"Something burst from the pipe on the roof of the building," he said. "The sound is was really loud. I told my wife that something was probably hit by lightning. It was the transformer and the waters were like from the Niagara Falls."

Del Rosario is thankful to have a nearby family to stay with while waiting for their building’s power to be restored.

Cleanup officially got underway across Toronto after the storm, with major highways now reopened and power restored to many homes and businesses.

No injuries were reported from the flood. But local media, citing industry experts, said the cost of damage could come at a huge cost of over a billion dollars.