The search continues Sunday in Rivière-Éternité, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, where at least two people were swept away by the water and are still missing. Flash floods and downpours battered the region on Saturday, which was also placed under a tornado alert.
“We have been on the ground for a few hours already. There are watercraft, quads, a helicopter and a group of divers participating in the effort, ”said Sergeant Hugues Beaulieu of the Sûreté du Québec, the spokesperson for the police force dispatched to the region.
He maintains that the priority of the police troops, for Sunday, will be in particular to examine all the banks of the river. “We are also on the water with sonars currently to try to locate the two people,” assured Mr. Beaulieu.
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PHOTO SOPHIE LAVOIE, THE DAILY
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PHOTO SOPHIE LAVOIE, THE DAILY
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PHOTO SOPHIE LAVOIE, THE DAILY
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PHOTO SOPHIE LAVOIE, THE DAILY
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PHOTO SOPHIE LAVOIE, THE DAILY
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Numerous land subsidence crippled Route 170 on Saturday, linking the St. Lawrence to Lac Saint-Jean, which was closed shortly after. The situation forced the City of Rivière-Éternité to declare a state of emergency in the evening on its Facebook page. More than 130 people have been evacuated so far.
In total, three people who got out of their vehicle to remove debris from Notre-Dame Street were swept away by the Éternité River. It had just overflowed from its bed and the ground sank at the same time, said Sergeant Beaulieu. A 50-year-old was found shortly after, but the other two people are still missing.
At the beginning of the day, Sunday, a meeting took place between representatives of the government, the City of Rivière-Éternité and the Sûreté du Québec. The authorities say they are particularly reassured by the fact that the water level has dropped somewhat since Saturday evening. Close to 130 millimeters of rain had fallen in less than two hours.
A few days of work
A geotechnical team from the Ministère des Transports was also sent to the site to support the municipality and carry out various construction sites and inspections. “Our teams are already on site for the work on Route 170, but considering the damage, a few days will be required,” Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault said on Twitter on Sunday. The day before, she had mentioned “significant damage”.
“Route 170 remains closed today, Sunday and possibly beyond. Major work is underway to restore safe traffic as quickly as possible,” the Ministry of Transport also said.
“We are continuing the evacuations with Public Security”, also persisted Mme Guilbault. At the start of the day, around 100 people were still isolated on a campsite, but had to be evacuated by air or by mountain bike.
On the airwaves of LCN, Sunday, the minister responsible for the region, Andrée Laforest, for her part indicated that security will be the key before thinking of reintegrating the evacuees, or even reopening the road. “We want it, but it has to be safe. The road has caved in in two places, so it’s completely impassable. […] We have to rebuild on solid ground, so it is the analyzes that will determine the rest of things, ”she limited herself to saying.
PHOTO SOPHIE LAVOIE, THE DAILY
The minister responsible for the region, Andrée Laforest, on site Saturday
Service centers for disaster victims have notably been opened in L’Anse-Saint-Jean and Saint-Félix-d’Otis, neighboring municipalities, also recalled Mr.me Laforest. Visitors to Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay have had their reservations canceled as a security measure.
A month ago, residents of Notre-Dame Street, which connects Rivière-Éternité to Fjord-du-Saguenay National Park, were also evacuated due to a forest fire. The Marie-Médiatrice primary school had also had to close its doors on 1er June for the same reason.
With Lila Dussault, The Press