Canada

Photo: Contributed - CBC

A flood in downtown Montreal is snarling traffic and potentially causing damage to McGill University's campus. (CBC)

A large chunk of Montreal's downtown has been shut down after a break in a water main sent a flood of water into city streets.

The break happened near McGill University near rush hour, prompting traffic jams as police rerouted cars.

Parts of two of Montreal's main east-west arteries were closed to traffic -- Rene-Levesque Boulevard and Sherbrooke Street.

Police wanted the traffic rerouted because the cascade of water has made the area extremely slippery as the water turns to ice.

City officials say a water main broke at a construction site near downtown and say they are working to fix the problem.

Staff at McGill University have been warned that several of the university's buildings have been flooded.

Evening classes were also cancelled.

Pedestrians in the downtown core, which includes Montreal's main shopping district, had to negotiate ankle-deep water at some points.