Environment Canada has issued a warning that parts of southern Ontario could experience 50mm or more of rainfall before the weekend. It has also been reported that Lake Ontario has risen nearly 40cm since early April, and is expected to rise even more this month.
Groundwater flooding resulting from the anticipated rains might fall under some policy exclusions.
Learn more about natural disaster insurance here.
Torrential rains hit portions of southern Ontario last April 20, forcing road closures throughout the region. Overland water levels were so dangerously high during that time that municipalities had to issue flood watch notices.
To prevent another catastrophe, the city of Hamilton is preparing for the flood by clearing drains and creek outlets, sandbagging areas that were especially vulnerable during the last weather event, and sucking up excess water that has pooled on streets in waterlogged Bayside Avenue.
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The Bayside Avenue strip, in particular, has experienced the worst of the recent flooding. Although the area has always had a long history of sporadic flooding,
Hamilton Spectator reported that even established residents were caught unaware by the extent of the water damage this year.
“It started coming up through cracks in the (basement) floor,” resident Darlene Lorentz told
Hamilton Spectator in an interview Tuesday. “Our furnace and our water heater are sitting in three inches of water. The insurance company says it’s groundwater, so it’s not covered … I had no clue it could get so bad.”
Although Lake Ontario’s levels are at their highest in over 20 years, residents living near the water – so far – have only had to deal with filled basements. If inclement weather persists for the rest of the month, however, things could only get much worse for homeowners.
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