Parts of Edmonton were hit with heavy gusts, rain, thunder and lightning Friday night, leaving thousands without power and some centres closed for flooding. As of Saturday afternoon, after another brief thunderstorm, the city said 111 Avenue near 158 Street and 118 Avenue near 149 Street both had single-lane closures. Epcor crews were working to reopen the roads. A downed traffic signal pole at 83 Avenue and 104 Street was temporarily repaired, but crews were still working to open the road. The 170 to 178 Street off-ramp to Whitemud was closed. Yellowhead Trail at 82 Street, under the CN overpass, also had crews working and remained closed. A full list of traffic impacts is available on the City of Edmonton website. Telus World of Science Edmonton was also closed until further notice after rainwater flooded most of the building’s main floor, according to a Saturday media release. Staff evacuated everyone inside just before 8 p.m. All guests and employees were reported safe. “The flooding is extensive, and while we do not yet know the full impact, we are committed to sharing clear and timely information as our assessment continues,” CEO Constance Scarlett said. The centre said it was actively working with the city and would keep updates posted on main social media channels. These facilities were also closed due to flooding until further notice: The Orange Hub, Citadel Theatre and Central Lions Recreation Centre experienced some flooding but remained open to the public. Power outages Edmonton’s primary utility group says more than 13,000 people lost power Friday night during the storm. “We appreciate the patience of Edmontonians as we worked to restore power safely and as quickly as possible overnight,” an Epcor spokesperson told CTV News Edmonton. Across local community groups, Edmontonians posted cars in parking lots and on roads surrounded by pooling water. Epcor says crews got about 140 calls since the storm for water-related concerns such as flooding and are dispatched in areas where water had pooled. LRT and pathway impacts The city says there are various broken LRT crossing arms at intersections across Edmonton. Crews were still working to repair damage on Saturday afternoon. Active construction sites had also seen localized flooding and delays. The city said it would announce new timelines after further evaluation of major projects. Other public paths along the city have flooded after overland drainage which was expected to subside on its own.
