(Montreal) Even if the floods in Quebec remain a cause for concern, all indications are that the situation stabilized on Sunday. The Outaouais and Laurentians remain the hardest-hit regions, at a time when several communities are becoming aware of the extent of the damage.
Posted 1:49pm Updated 2:55pm
Coralie Laplante The Canadian Press
In Outaouais, according to the Ministry of Public Security, 23 communes are affected by floods, in the Laurentians 18. The Lanaudière and Montérégie regions follow closely behind, with 15 and 10 communes respectively suffering the effects of the floods.
However, the various indicators are encouraging. “Throughout the province, the situation is improving very well, given that we have good weather, dry weather and that it will take a few more days. All the rivers are down,” says Joshua Ménard-Suarez, civil security spokesman at the Ministry of Public Security. Dry weather is expected to continue in the province through at least Wednesday.
“As we have had several days with low rivers, there are rivers that have been completely flooded and as we speak [dimanche]They have already returned to their normal bed,” the spokeswoman explains. He points out that with renewed rainfall, the waterways are now able to absorb a certain amount of rain before being flooded.
However, Joshua Ménard-Suarez states that the spring flood season is not over yet.
The Ottawa River is one of the waterways with a large flood level. At the level of Hull Marina, the Quebec government reports an average high tide threshold. However, major flooding is still being observed in the small community of Fort-Coulonge in Outaouais.
The city of Gatineau said in a statement Saturday that water levels began to stabilize beginning Friday. “The slow and gradual decline could start earlier in the week. Remember that all the local population must remain vigilant and leave their shelters in place as the situation is still precarious “, we can read in the press release from the municipality, reminding citizens not to go to flooded areas drive.
As of Saturday, 137 people affected by Gatineau were being cared for by the Red Cross and housed in hotels.
The second most monitored watercourse is the Lac des Deux Montagnes. A major flood swell is still being reported in Pointe-Calumet, a community in the Laurentians region. Moderate flooding was also reported on the shores of Lac des Deux Montagnes in the towns of Terrasse-Vaudreuil and Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue.
In the Bois-des-Filion, the Rivière des Mille-Îles, like the Rivière Rigaud on the edge of the municipality of the same name, has an average high water level.
The level of the Saint Lawrence River is monitored in Montreal. Minor flooding was reported along the Rivière des Prairies in the west of the island, near Île Bizard. Some roads are still closed to traffic, including the Île Mercier bridge. Part of the Chemin du Bord-du-Lac on Île Bizard, Boulevard Lalande, Chemin de l’Anse-à-l’Orme and Boulevard Gouin are also inaccessible.
As for Mauricie, minor flooding has been reported along Lake Saint-Pierre and Lake Maskinongé.
Watch out for landslides
The risk of landslides increases when the ground is soaked like it is now, warns Joshua Ménard-Suarez.
“Landslides are a bit more insidious, they can happen almost anywhere, and it’s harder to see clues and signs of what’s to come. That means we invite many citizens to look at their property, see if there’s anything out of the ordinary, a crack that wasn’t there before, a subsidence,” and notify their community, the spokesman recommends.
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