THUNDER BAY – Scattered reports of flooding are coming in from several areas of the city following heavy rain Saturday evening.
Areas that appear most affected by flooding are homes and businesses in the Northwood, McIntyre and McKellar Wards. Flooding, however, is not exclusive to those areas.
Northwood Coun. Shelby Ch’ng, in a brief interview with tbnewswatch.com Saturday night said she’s received dozens of emails about flooded homes in her ward.
She added that she’s been fielding call after call from concerned homeowners.
Residents facing flooding are being encouraged to contact the city’s dispatch line at 625-2195, but that line was said to be constantly busy as of 10 p.m.
Massive rain touched down in the city Saturday morning, with Environment Canada calling an end to a severe thunder storm watch just before noon.
The government weather agency issued a new weather statement regarding severe thunderstorms later Saturday afternoon.
Coun. Ch’ng said reports of flooding are a grim reminder at just how important it is to continue investing in infrastructure improvement.
“This is exactly what I was afraid of,” she said immediately following a phone call from a resident with flooding concerns.
“This is why I’ve been pushing for (Enhanced Infrastructure Renewal Fund) funding for a while now and this is just more proof that more needs to be done.”
The rainfall didn’t just impact homes. Reports of flooded roadways have also been coming in Saturday night. As of 11 p.m. Memorial Avenue at the Harbour Expressway remained covered by water.
One parked vehicle at a parking lot near the Superstore even appears to have fallen into a sinkhole that formed during the storm. The photographs of that car was sent to us by reader Greg Hay
According to Environment Canada, the worst is over. The long-range forecast does show rain Sunday and Monday, but just a 30 per cent chance of showers each day.
After that the city is looking at clear and sunny skies from Tuesday through Friday with daytime highs between 20 C and 25 C.
