Officials continue to monitor water levels along the Mille-Îles river and the Rivière des Prairies, as riverside residents brace for flooding that officials say could get worse before it gets better.
The heavy rains over the long Easter weekend have now given way to sunshine and mild temperatures in the Montreal area, but flood waters continue to rise. And with more rain in the forecast for later this week, officials are warning the worst is yet to come.
"There will doubtless be more flooding to come,'' Quebec Public Security Minister Genevieve Guilbault told reporters in Yamachiche, about 100 kilometres northeast of Montreal. ``The weather, the temperature, the melting snow — and with a water level that is already high — what we can do is prepare the best we can.''
She thanked Canadian Forces members, who on Sunday had helped fill 4,000 sandbags and continued to provide help Monday.
Deep water on the roads in parts of Rigaud. Most people have evacuated, but some are holding out #CJAD800 pic.twitter.com/RjTgqbDUa8
— Matt Gilmour (@MGilmourMTL) April 22, 2019
190 houses in Rigaud have been flooded. 650+ more are in danger #CJAD800 pic.twitter.com/hhUPRbS14V
— Matt Gilmour (@MGilmourMTL) April 22, 2019
Down the Ottawa river in Rigaud, fire chief Daniel Boyer said a light armoured vehicle was called in to help with the evacuation of a couple who required medical attention. He said the Army vehicle was able to transport paramedics to the couple's home and get them to safety.
"That is a large part of the reason of why the Army is with us,'' Boyer said. "The request was made for light armoured vehicles because, at the moment, emergency vehicles can no longer pass in certain places.''
Rigaud Mayor Hans Gruenwald Jr. said residents are taking warnings more seriously than they did when flooding last hit the region in 2017.
"People are a lot more co-operative,'' he said. "They understand, and they are totally surprised there is already another flood so close to the last in 2017. Everything is better organized.''
Late last week, Gruenwald suggested that people clear out of their homes for their own safety, suggesting people who stay behind shouldn't expect to be rescued if the worst happens — adding he shouldn't be expected to put the lives of rescuers at risk.
-With files from the Canadian Press.
There is a small community that has to drive over this flooded bridge if they want to get in or out. There’s about 10 inches of water on the bridge #CJAD800 pic.twitter.com/025EggtV1f
— Matt Gilmour (@MGilmourMTL) April 22, 2019
The one bridge to Ile-Bigras is still safe. The water is close to the bridge, but the deck is a few feet above the bottoms of the structure #CJAD800 pic.twitter.com/VKp8XNJr4y
— Matt Gilmour (@MGilmourMTL) April 22, 2019
Lots of water of some of the low lying roads on Ile Bigras. Still, nowhere near as much as in 2017 #CJAD800 pic.twitter.com/Suayv26elL
— Matt Gilmour (@MGilmourMTL) April 22, 2019