Flooding plagues eastern provinces in Canada

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON

Much of eastern Canada was under siege from heavy rainfall Friday that produced major flooding.

A special weather statement issued by Environment Canada Friday warned of significant rainfall still to come for much of the southern and eastern areas of the province of Ontario.

The rain was pummeling western Quebec, prompting evacuations in some areas, and wet conditions were predicted to extend into the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, overnight on Saturday, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.

Several factors have produced widespread flooding conditions, including higher than normal water levels in Lake Ontario, unusual amounts of rain, and atmospheric conditions created by a storm system moving slowly up from the Gulf of Mexico, the CBC reported.

In Toronto, Canada’s largest city, officials said they might be forced to close the Don Valley Parkway – the major route in and out of the city – due to rising levels on the Don River, CTV news reported.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that the government would help severely affected areas.

“The federal government is engaging regularly with provincial governments to see if there’s anything we can do, and any help we can offer we are more than willing to do it,” Trudeau told the CBC.