Flooding Prompts the Evacuation of Nearly 10,000 Quebec Residents

The number of people affected by this year’s spring flooding across Quebec is now more than twice what it was during the devastating floods of 2017, due in large part to the 6,000 people evacuated from Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac during the weekend after floodwaters broke through a dike.

As of Monday morning, more than 9,500 people had been evacuated across the province, compared to roughly 4,000 two years ago.

More than 6,400 homes have been flooded and another 3,508 have been cut off from their communities by flood waters. The figures are unchanged for Montreal — 94 residences have been flooded, 49 surrounded by water and 55 evacuated.

Montreal city council voted Sunday to extend by five days the state of emergency declared April 26.

Continuing to monitor the situation across the province, Quebec Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault tried to be re-assuring on Sunday, noting there’s little rain in the forecast until Wednesday.

That “will bring some respite on the ground and will at least give our teams and all the evacuees a chance to catch their breath a bit,” she said.

While visiting Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac over the weekend, Premier François Legault announced the province has donated $1 million to the Canadian Red Cross.

As of Sunday, the Red Cross had taken charge of roughly 1,000 Quebecers, with about two-thirds relocated to hotels.

About 100 volunteers and more than 30 staff are providing support in 11 municipalities and are monitoring the needs of 22 other communities.

Source: The Telegram