States of emergency declared in St. Catharines and Lincoln, Ont., after major flooding
Municipalities in Ontario's Niagara Region, including St. Catharines and Lincoln, have declared states of emergency following back-to-back extreme rainstorms. The flooding has caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure, prompting concerns about the increasing frequency of such climate-related events.
Why it matters
The event highlights the growing impact of climate change on local infrastructure and the increasing financial and personal burden of extreme weather on residents.
Flood damaged items on the driveway of William Hammond’s St. Catharines, Ont., home on Tuesday. Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Residents across Ontario’s Niagara Region were cleaning up flooded homes and businesses on Tuesday after a second extreme rainstorm in a week inundated parts of the area and prompted states of emergency in two municipalities.
St. Catharines and the nearby Town of Lincoln both issued declarations Monday after back-to-back storms dumped a combined 250 millimetres of rain on parts of the region. The storms delivered about a quarter of the region’s typical annual precipitation over just three days.
Nathan Morrissette called the last few days “organized chaos.” The St. Catharines resident said his unfinished basement flooded, damaging his water heater and numerous personal items.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in