The Réseau express métropolitain (REM) is facing major disruptions Thursday morning after lightning struck near the Samuel-De Champlain Bridge, connecting Montreal to the South Shore. “It’s a serious situation,” said Jean Nicolas Aubé, a spokesperson with the REM. “At 8 a.m., lightning struck near the Champlain Bridge, causing a loss of electricity.” All the trains were in their stations, he added, except two in Île-des-Soeurs, which were evacuated. The light rail system confirmed that “weather conditions” are causing interruptions between the Brossard and Côte-de-Liesse stations. There was also a slowdown between the Côte-de-Liesse, Deux-Montagnes and Anse-à-l’Orme stations, but it has since been restored. A service update is expected at 10 a.m. Alternate travel options can be found here.
