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Flooding on Toronto Island in May, 2017.Christian Mittelstaedt

The City of Toronto says high water levels in Lake Ontario have forced it to limit services and force closures on one of its most popular summer visitor destinations.

It says water levels have prompted mass closures at the Toronto Islands, home to many summer events as well as city residents.

It says it has set up 20,000 sandbags along the shoreline to cope with flooding and installed five industrial pumps to reduce surface pooling.

It says Island Park is closed, regular ferry service is suspended and all permits for island events have been cancelled until June 30.

The city says ferry service to the main island dock is only available for residents and their guests as well as municipal staff.

Water levels, swollen by heavy rains throughout April and early May, are expected to keep rising for several more weeks and take just as long to return to normal.

Toronto Fire Services rescued a stranded woman Wednesday after she climbed a construction crane and slid down a large pulley device at the top. Firefighter Rob Wonfor says he has “no idea” how she got up there.

The Canadian Press

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