Several citizens are concerned about the rising waters in Saint-Colomban, in the Laurentians where, as in several other regions, spring floods caused the overflow of the Rivière du Nord.
“I haven’t slept for two days,” breathes Stéphane Houle, met not far from the Mackenzie Bridge, closed since Monday due to rising waters. “I evacuate, I stay, I don’t know what to do. »
The man, who bought his residence last December, says he had no idea such a flood could occur, even though he had been warned that it was in a flood zone.
On rue du Bord-de-l’Eau, a dozen residences are currently flooded, a situation that is repeated regularly in Saint-Colomban, indicates the mayor of the municipality, Xavier-Antoine Lalonde. The last episode of major flooding, however, dates back to 2019, when a record water supply in 57 years of observations flooded southwestern Quebec.
“We are not yet at levels [so high]”, nuance Xavier-Antoine Lalonde “If there had been rain today, Sunday, Saturday, we might be more in panic mode. »
“It started the day before yesterday, then it goes up, it goes up”, summarizes Huu Quy Hoo, another citizen met on the spot and whose basement was flooded.
Quebec Public Security reported significant flooding in the Laurentians, Saint-Jérôme, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts and Mont-Tremblant. Another flood occurred near the Dorwin Falls, in Rawdon, in Lanaudière.
In Saint-Jérôme, the flow of the Rivière du Nord was already very strong before dawn.
In the Montreal region, minor flooding was reported at four locations on the shores of Lac des Deux-Montagnes and along the Rivière des Mille-Îles. The water also came out of its bed near Lake Saint-Pierre and Lake Maskinongé, in Mauricie, near the Etchemin River, in Saint-Henri-de-Lévis, and at two places on the Ottawa River, in Ottawa. as well as at the Hull Marina in Gatineau.
The level of several rivers is under surveillance by the authorities. This is particularly the case of the St. Lawrence River, in the west of the island of Montreal. The Rivière des Prairies is at high risk of flooding.
The authorities explain that the melting of the snow caused by the recent heat and the rains expected over the next few days are causing the waters to rise.
However, Civil Security spokeswoman Marie-Soleil Boulet-Pruneau said Monday there was no fear of major flooding yet.
In Gatineau, Mayor France Bélisle said nearly 40,000 filled sandbags were ready for distribution Tuesday morning, at seven vulnerable sites. Teams have also started filling additional sandbags.
The City of Gatineau has three bagging machines, for increased filling capacity. To date, 200,000 empty bags are available in reserve to be bagged, according to municipal authorities.
The main city in the Outaouais was hit by major spring flooding in 2017 and 2019, which resulted in the loss of several hundred homes.
