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Hurricane Hazel floods Toronto

Broadcast Date: Dec. 16, 1954

On Oct. 16, 1954 the city of Toronto is reeling under the floodwaters of Hurricane Hazel. CBC Television crews capture images of a city submerged — 40 highways and main roads under water, passenger trains knocked off their tracks, people and cars moving through the floodwaters at night seeking higher ground. All traffic to and from Toronto is banned by provincial police.

At the water's edge CBC reporter Ian MacIntosh interviews a man whose wife and children are still marooned on the roof of their flooded house, and speaks with a police sergeant assisting with rescue operations.
Other images include dramatic rooftop rescues by rowboat and helicopter — 32 from the roof of a single house — as well as sunken cars, boats cast adrift and a devastated bridge over the Humber River.

Hurricane Hazel floods Toronto

• Hurricane Hazel dumped 300 million tonnes of rain on the city of Toronto. A previous rainfall had already saturated the ground, so 90 per cent of the rain washed directly into the city's waterways.

• Flows in the Humber River were four times greater than normal; the Rouge River rose to a height of 4.26 metres, washing out part of a Canadian Pacific Railway line to Peterborough. In Markham Township 11 bridges were washed out and the village was marooned.

Hurricane Hazel floods Toronto

Medium: Television

Program: CBC Television News

Broadcast Date: Dec. 16, 1954

Guest(s): Paul Williamson

Host: John O'Leary
Reporter: Ian MacIntosh

Duration: 9:14

Last updated:
June 18, 2004