Some 94 campers isolated due to landslides on Route 170 in the Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay near Rivière-Éternité are finally evacuated by helicopter.
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The 130 residents of this community had already urgently left due to the collapse of Route 170, most of them by boat.
Since 3:15 p.m., two helicopters have taken turns, with families with children having priority.
People are first taken to the church in Rivière-Éternité, where they then board a school bus to go to La Baie, which is about 30 minutes’ drive away.
“The situation is still under control, the people are safe,” said Minister responsible for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, Andrée Laforest, in an interview with LCN. In La Baie there is food, lodging and beds if needed.
However, the minister could not say how long it would take for everyone to be evacuated.
“We want the rain to stop because we want our helicopter transport to be done in complete safety,” she continues.
Ms. Laforest also confirms that a team will be mobilized to assess the strength of the soils in the area to prevent further landslides if heavy rains continue.
For its part, Transports Quebec announced that Route 170 would remain closed until at least Monday.
Saguenay – Route 170 closed in Rivière-Éternité – The rigorous inspection and restoration work on the tracks will continue tomorrow with all available resources. Thank you all for your cooperation in these extraordinary circumstances.
— Transports Quebec (@Transports_Qc) July 2, 2023
More than 130 millimeters of rain fell in Rivière-Éternité within two hours on Saturday.
See the explanations in the video above