'Everything is under control' says premier as Quebec deals with spring flooding

Several municipalities in quebec city city ar grappling with floods, with many residents evacuated from their homes.

During a briefing  lord's day afternoon, Quebec premiere Christine Fréchette said four regions were being closely monitored, including the Outaouais region, Argenteuil, Quebec City and Lanaudière. 

"We have established close contact with the mayors of these regions and cities," she said, adding that the government is ready to jump in and assist if help is needed.

Fréchette said it's important for citizens to stay informed and listen to instructions from local officials, as the situation can evolve quickly.

"What I can say for now, is that everything is under control," she said.

On Sunday afternoon, Quebec authorities reported one major flood in the province, on the Coulonge River in the Outaouais region, seven moderate floods, 27 minor floods and 18 bodies of water under observation.

In the Greater Montreal area, authorities were on high alert, as the peak of rising water levels could occur late Sunday afternoon.

The coming hours could prove challenging, said Jean Brazeau, regional director for the Laurentians and Lanaudière regions for Quebec’s Public Security Ministry. The flow of the Ottawa River is expected to rise significantly, which could affect homes along the Rivière des Prairies.

The cities of Laval and Montreal are monitoring the situation, said Brazeau, who added that no municipality had, so far, requested assistance from the Ministry of Public Security.

Public Security Minister Ian Lafrenière visited Pierrefonds-Roxboro on Sunday, where preventive measures — including the placement of sandbags — were underway.

"The good news is that it’s cold. We hope that with the cold weather, there will be less snowmelt to help stabilize the level [of the Rivière des Prairies]," he told Radio-Canada.

Luc Bourassa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Security, said as of 11:30 a.m., over 600 residents were either isolated because of rivers coming out of their beds or affected by minor flooding.

"So all the regions in between — Outaouais, Laurentians, Lanaudière, Mauricie and the Quebec City area — have multiple rivers overflowing right now."

That said, Bourassa stated that the evacuation situation was not "dire" even though some evacuations have taken place across the province.

Some basements of homes on Rang Saint-Martin in Saguenay have been flooded. City officials and firefighters have already met with the affected residents.

The situation is particularly critical in Lanaudière and the Laurentians: nearly 100 homes are flooded, including about 65 in Mont-Tremblant, according to officials.

The municipality added that the situation remained under control and no major incidents had been reported Sunday.

The Île-aux-Chats area in Saint-André-d’Argenteuil circulation is limited to one lane of alternating traffic.

There were fears Sunday morning that the bridge would be closed, which would've cut off the area and isolated some 100 homes in the area. But according to local civil security officials, due to rainfall forecasts that have been revised downwards, the bridge is unlikely to close.

The bridge on Terrasse Robillard Street in that municipality closed on Friday and left 29 properties isolated, according to Brazeau.

In the Capitale-Nationale region, the Rivière Jaune has been overflowing since Saturday evening, forcing the municipality of Lac-Beauport to close two bridges.

Local authorities believe, however, that the situation leveled off this morning and that the worst is over.

In Quebec City, the Saint-Charles River was also overflowing on Sunday, flooding a nearby park.

Environment Canada issued a storm surge warning for Quebec City on Sunday, forecasting higher-than-normal water levels along the city's riverbanks at Monday's high tide.

Roads are also closed due to spring flooding in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Côte-Nord, Laurentians, Lanaudière, Outaouais, and Capitale-Nationale regions, according to the Ministry of Transport.

And as the water levels of the Ottawa and Gatineau rivers continue to rise, following warm weather and rainfall, around 164 buildings are at risk of flooding, Denis Doucet, civil security director, said during a news conference Sunday morning.

Doucet said water levels in the Gatineau region were expected to peak Monday before beginning to stabilize by the weekend. He warned the region could remain at risk for at least two more weeks due to sustained high water levels and potential snowmelt from the north.

Forty-one streets have also been closed across the city and emergency crews stepped up overnight response efforts. Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette said firefighters went door-to-door to warn residents living in homes at risk of flooding.

"The situation is under control at the moment; we're familiar with it," she said at the briefing.

"Unfortunately, the organization is well-prepared for this type of event. We urge people to prepare accordingly."

Environment Canada said colder temperatures are expected in the coming days, which could help stabilize river levels across the province.

Fréchette, however, said provincial authorities will continue to monitor the situation closely, as rainfall is expected in some areas over the next two to three days.

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