Man goes missing in Richmond Hill pond during bad weather

A man went missing in a Richmond Hill pond during bad weather in the area Tuesday afternoon, York Regional Police say.

A man went missing in a Richmond Hill pond during bad weather in the area Tuesday afternoon, York Regional Police say.

The search has been called off for the night but is expected to resume Wednesday morning.

Officers were called to an area near Major Mackenzie Drive East and Spadina Road around 5:30 p.m. by a man stuck in rushing water close to a large drain. 

Two men were in the pond when heavy rainfall caused the water levels to rise extremely fast, police say.

“When I first arrived the waters were rushing very high, very deep and very dangerous,” said Const. Douglas James who attended the scene.

Emergency responders were able to rescue one of the men but police say the other person did not resurface. 

Officers, firefighters and a marine unit were called in to help with an underwater search for the missing man. 

The pond is normally not very deep but can fill up quickly with bad weather, according to police.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for the City of Toronto and parts of the GTA by Environment Canada on Tuesday. At one point, much of the GTA was also under a tornado watch.

Emergency responders say there are several bodies of water that feed into each other for storm retention. 

Police say weather played a factor in this incident and believe the man may have been carried away by the water to a bigger part of the pond on the northeast side.

Water levels have lowered in the pond by about two feet and police expect it to drop further.

Officers say they are continuing to investigate this incident but will have to resume their search for the missing man on Wednesday morning when it isn't dark and the water isn't as murky.

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