Some pictures of Toronto during last week’s deluge

Last week’s persistent heavy downpour infiltrated basements and underpasses and wreaked havoc on everyone’s morning commutes. At the same time, though, the rain caused Lake Ontario to swell over its usual shoreline, creating an eerily beautiful temporary new waterfront. Here are a few pictures that capture the storm in all its nuisance and majesty.

Who guards the lifeguard?

A soggy hike with the Toronto Outdoor Club along the Martin Goodman Trail reveals the flooded shoreline of Lake Ontario which reportedly rose nearly 25 centimetres since May 1st. Meanwhile staff have placed some 4,000 sandbags on shorelines across Toronto #lakeontario #floods #toronto #torontoflood #sunnysidebeach

A post shared by Lori Whelan (@underground_joan) on May 7, 2017 at 2:08pm PDT

The storm’s first victim: the Muskoka chairs at Ashbridge’s Bay:

This is not normally a lake… The shoreline is that strip of land in the distance #TorontoFlood #TheTideIsHigh

A post shared by Darminick (@darminick) on May 7, 2017 at 1:30pm PDT

Why canoe to the Toronto Islands when you can canoe on them?

Flooded Island. Rain have mercy on us!

A post shared by Toronto Isle Beach Boys&Girls (@torontoislandsup) on May 5, 2017 at 10:02am PDT

Last week was not a great time to be a building manager:

There are pools everywhere. Bring your flip flops! #poolparty #torontoflood

A post shared by Francis Kim (@franciskim7) on May 5, 2017 at 6:28am PDT

Also not a great time to be a dock:

Toronto flood. #toronto #flood #herecomestheflood #petergabriel #torontoflood #live #nofilter #:p #iphone #hashtaghoe

A post shared by Alexander Broughton (@alexanderbroughton) on May 6, 2017 at 12:11pm PDT

This is the very same underpass that claimed a Ferrari in 2013:

On Saturday night, @thebaxo, @brieford, company, and I, took a bit of a stroll past what Brie likes to refer to as "Lake Simcoe". #lakesimcoe #lowersimcoe #toronto #tunnel #underpass #flood #torontoflood

A post shared by Jessica Korody (@korodyj) on Apr 24, 2017 at 9:20am PDT

Out in Scarborough, a man fishes from a bench. No big deal:

Rouge Beach flood damage. #Toronto #onstorm pic.twitter.com/gSsFgNj2nn

— Zack (@MobiusTheEagle) May 8, 2017

Just be glad we still have any islands at all:

#flood what's left of the Eastern Gap Toronto Harbour pic.twitter.com/YQdQUmUR5K

— dont say his name (@ladyziggyloo1) May 6, 2017