Heavy rainfall floods Winnipeg underpasses, streets, part of mall

Screenshot from Bing / Environment Canada.

WINNIPEG—Heavy rain has caused roads, neighbourhoods, basements and part of Winnipeg’s major shopping mall to flood.

Environment Canada says the storm dropped about 50 millimetres of rain in an hour in the southwest part of the city.

The south end of Polo Park mall was full of water and some stores had to close.

Traffic lights were out throughout the city because of all the water, causing gridlocks.

Police sent out a tweet warning drivers not to try to drive through flooded underpasses and some didn’t listen, with one car nearly submerged in one.

Some people posted pictures on Twitter of people floating in canoes, kayaks and of one person snorkelling.

Police tweeted that kayaking and canoeing on sidewalks and roads “with an approved PFD would be appropriate.”

“At 6:45 p.m. reports of near 50 mm of rainfall had been received from southwestern portions of the city. Elsewhere in the city reports of 25 to 50 mm have been received. This system is extremely slow moving and further rainfall amounts of 10 to 30 mm are possible,” Environment Canada said.