Security beefed up at Union Station after Brussels explosions

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the attacks in Brussels, while Air Canada warned that flights to the Belgian city may be cancelled and security beefed up at one of Toronto’s main transportation hubs.

On Twitter, Trudeau called the attacks “deplorable” and said his thoughts were with the victims as Canada stands with Belgium and the European Union.

Belgian officials said the casualty toll from three explosions in the capital was 31 dead and dozens injured.

Global Affairs Canada said it had no reports of any Canadian citizens being affected by Tuesday’s explosions.

The ministry also said the Canadian Embassy in Brussels was “closely monitoring the situation” and was trying to determine if any Canadians have been affected.

In an advisory posted on its website early Tuesday, Global Affairs said while there was no nationwide advisory in effect for Belgium, Canadians should exercise a “high degree of caution due to the current elevated threat of terrorism.”

More than 200 flights to Brussels were diverted or cancelled, according to flight tracking service Flightradar24.

Air Canada has issued a travel alert for customers trying to travel through the Brussels airport, advising flights may be cancelled or delayed.

Airline spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick said the airline’s staff and crew in Brussels were safe and sound and that one flight had been diverted to Paris.

Toronto Pearson Airport tweeted a phone number for people to call in case people have questions about friends and family at Brussels Airport. The number is (0032) (0)2/753 73 00.

In Toronto, security and police presence was beefed up at Union Station, according to Metrolinx spokeswoman Anne Marie Aikins.

“We do take special precautions with Union Station because it is our largest transportation hub in the country,” she said. “When things like this happen around the world, we take extra vigilant precautions.”

In a statement, Toronto police said it has “heightened awareness service-wide,” but added it will not discuss its operational plans.

TTC spokesperson Brad Ross said its staff will “remain vigilant at all times,” and asks riders to do the same.

The Paris airport authority said security was tightened at all local airports soon after the Brussels explosions on Tuesday morning. Airports in London, Prague, Amsterdam, Vienna, and many others, also saw increased security.

The explosions, which the Brussels prosecutor’s office calls terror attacks, came just days after the main suspect in the deadly Nov. 13 Paris attacks was arrested Friday in the city.

After his arrest, 26-year-old Salah Abdeslam told authorities he had created a new network and was planning new attacks.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Tuesday’s attacks.

Belgium has raised its terror alert to its highest level, diverting arriving planes and trains and ordering people to stay where they were.

Airports across Europe immediately tightened security as a fleet of emergency vehicles roared in to handle the carnage at the Brussels airport.

With files from The Associated Press