[PHOTOS] Floods in the Capitale-Nationale region: another Christmas in the water

After having to celebrate Christmas by candlelight last year due to major power outages, many residents are spending this New Year's Eve cleaning their basements from flood damage.

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“Some are disappointed, the Christmas party has simply fallen by the wayside,” complains Benoit Boilard, a resident of Lac-Beauport, who could only watch helplessly as the water rose in his house.

The municipality north of Quebec received no less than 65 mm of rain on Monday. In particular, the flooding of the Yellow River and the hinterland caused significant damage to several infrastructures.

Benoit Boilard has to cancel his Christmas Eve at home because of the water that entered his house. Jeremy Bernier

Lac-Beauport was one of the hardest-hit cities in Quebec, with more than a hundred homes flooded. Even 24 hours after the rainfall began, several roads were still impassable.

“Last year there was a power outage. This year it's the flood. Let’s say I’ve had Christmas in the area for several years now,” complains Danielle, another resident of the area.

The latter feels as if she had been forgotten by the rescue workers, whom she had to contact herself while the water had penetrated her basement to the level of the switches.

The water caused significant damage to the basement of Danielle, a Lac-Beauport resident. On the left wall you can see the height it reached, about 55 inches, as well as the mud it dragged into the house. Jeremy Bernier

More fear than harm

After the flooding reached its peak at the beginning of Monday night, the water then stabilized almost everywhere in the Capitale-Nationale region and the rain showers stopped.

It was time to take stock: several municipalities say they avoided the worst. 118 mm of rain fell in the Montmorency forest in just a few hours, forcing the evacuation of 217 homes in Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval.

Flooding near Rue de Hauterive in Val-Bélair, Tuesday morning. Marc Vallieres/QMI Agency

“The vast majority of citizens will be able to return to their homes today,” assured Moïse Mayer, director of public security for the municipality.

In Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury, the expected catastrophe that had forced the declaration of a state of emergency ultimately did not occur.

“We were definitely more afraid than damaged,” says Mayor Sébastien Couture.

On Avenue du Lac Saint-Charles, a house looked like an island in the middle of the ocean, cut off from any infrastructure facing the street because of rising waters. Marc Vallieres/QMI Agency

Back to normal

The vast majority of rivers in the region recorded declines on Tuesday. The only exception to the rule was the Saint-Charles River, whose water volume continued to increase at midday.

The authorities paid particular attention to it, but it was not expected to cause major problems.

“It is a gradual return to normality, the big part is behind us,” Alexandre Lajoie, spokesman for the Quebec City Fire Protection Service, wanted to reassure in the morning.

Due to water damage, Frédéric Hurens had to remove the walls of his basement. Jeremy Bernier

But many will have a lot of work ahead of them before they can return to everyday life less than a week before Christmas.

“There are worse things in life. “At least everyone is fine and no one gets hurt, that's the most important thing,” emphasizes Frédéric Hurens, whom Le Journal met while he was busy removing materials moldy from water in his basement.

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