The organization launched the 2026 Ottawa Floods Appeal to gather donations<\/a> that will be given to those who need extra relief. <\/p>\n Red Cross staff can also help people navigate insurance claims, access professionals like engineers and provide resources. <\/p>\n This is on top of the approvals councillors made to help waive fees for flood-related repairs and avoid encroachment costs for waste containers being used to collect storm debris. The Compassionate Grant Program and Residential Protective Plumping Program are for people to access financial assistance.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Mayor Sutcliffe asked Premier Doug Ford to open up eligibility for affected residents to access a recovery fund.<\/p>\n Known as the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO),<\/a>\u00a0it is a fund helping people recover from natural disasters. It can be activated if there\u2019s a \u201csudden, unexpected natural event, such as a flood or tornado, that causes costly and widespread damage in your area,\u201d the province notes on its website.<\/p>\n Intense flooding cancelled events<\/p>\n The July 1 storm prompted one of the worst flooding seen in the city in decades. <\/p>\n According to\u00a0Environment Canada\u2019s data, 118.4 millimetres of precipitation fell on Canada Day.<\/a>\u00a0This is about double the previous record \u2014\u00a058.9 mm \u2014 that was first set in 1959 at the Ottawa International Airport.<\/a><\/p>\n As a result, Ottawa\u2019s mayor said the city has 6,000 reports of flooded basements after the \u201chistoric event.\u201d<\/p>\n In the aftermath, it caused 30,000 people to lose power, widespread property damage, the strong winds knocked down trees and about 100 people had to evacuate their homes.<\/p>\n It brought up anxieties of the 2022 derecho<\/a> <\/a>and created unease in the city as neighbours continue to help one another weeks after the extreme event. <\/p>\n \t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n Add CityNews Ottawa as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HMLXFTYWkAA5HL_-768x1024.jpg\")
he rain fell fast and intensely on Canada Day, forcing those on the roadways to pause before the dangerous conditions passed. (Hydro Ottawa)<\/p>\n
![\"Add](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778352312_74_google-trusted-badge.png\"){kind=icon}