(Mont-Laurier) Work continued this weekend to reinforce the dike that was threatening to give way in the Laurentians, where several hundred people were evacuated as a preventive measure a week ago.
Posted at 5:04 p.m
In an update provided Sunday afternoon, authorities confirmed that the situation at the Morier Dike, which is part of the state of Quebec, is still stable. The dike has shown no new signs of deterioration since internal erosion occurred.
Martin Ferland, an engineer with the Environment Ministry's General Directorate of Dams, told a press conference that efforts to inspect and stabilize the dyke at the end of the Kiamika reservoir, about twenty kilometers southeast of Mont-Laurier, were continuing as planned.
“Our engineers made no new observations on the dike this morning,” Mr. Ferland confirmed on Sunday afternoon.
“The work continues today and finally, you can be assured that work procedures have been put in place at the working level to ensure the safety of workers,” he said.
Due to the impending breach of the dike, the municipalities of Chute-Saint-Philippe and Lac-des-Écorces have been affected by a preventive evacuation order since December 3rd.
Authorities have warned that the advisory will remain in place until at least December 17. Mr Ferland also stressed that the work could continue even after residents return. There are no plans to return until the threat is lifted.
Environment Minister Benoit Charette was scheduled to be on site Monday morning, according to the schedule of various ministers released by the Quebec government on Sunday.
The dike was built in 1954. It holds 382 million cubic meters of water, which is equivalent to more than 100,000 Olympic swimming pools.
If the dike fails, roads, homes and infrastructure downstream could be damaged by flooding or landslides.
According to the Quebec government press release issued Sunday afternoon, around 1,900 people were evacuated.