Toronto residents faced a messy morning commute Tuesday after torrential rains caused power outages in Canada's largest city.

The utility company Toronto Hydro said 300,000 people were left without power and that as of midnight only 30-40,000 had it restored due to flooding at two transmission stations, broadcaster CBC reported.

The water flooded basements and highway underpasses. Some people were trapped in cars, with water to their windows.

CBC said about 1,400 people were caught by the flooding aboard a train.

It took police and firefighters hours to get everyone to dry ground aboard small inflatable boats.