TORONTO — Torrential rain on Tuesday (July 16) triggered flash flooding in parts of Toronto, Canada's financial centre, causing power outages, disrupting traffic and forcing airlines to curtail service.

Toronto Hydro, the local power distribution company, said it was responding to scattered outages that it suspected were caused by flooding at a transmission station. At 3 p.m., about 123,000 customers were without power, it said.

Billy Bishop Airport, situated on an island off downtown Toronto, said the underwater pedestrian tunnel leading to the passenger terminal, was flooded and temporarily closed. At least some flights were delayed or cancelled.

At lunchtime, many of downtown Toronto's normally bustling restaurants were darkened, with kitchen workers and waiters gathered outside, chatting and waiting for the lights to come back. With traffic lights out, cars and delivery trucks backed on city streets, snarling some intersections.

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