This Is Why You Never Park Over a Manhole During Stormy Weather in Montreal

Last Tuesday, a hellacious system whipped over Canada to deliver an upside-down volcano of rain. Nearly three inches slammed into the city, causing streets to develop Class IV rapids and spreading dismay among thousands of office drones, who had to stay late because outside had all of a sudden become SeaWorld. The Montreal metro's Orange Line ground to a halt. Rain began seeping into the basement of the Museum of Contemporary Art, where workers would later find hundreds of rare paintings soaked.

One of the most immediate effects of this terrific deluge was felt by Montreal's troubled sewer system. Ever since Mayor Gérald Tremblay took office 10 years ago, the city has poured more than $1 billion into bringing its pipes and drains up to snuff. But maybe $2 billion was needed. The lingering inadequacy of the sewer system became painfully apparent on Tuesday when the storm crippled and overloaded it "within minutes."