The water level of the Ottawa River continued to rise on Wednesday, increasing the number of disaster victims in the city of Gatineau, where many streets were flooded, prompting residents to resort to boats to get around. The return of the good weather expected on Saturday, however, offers a glimmer of hope to Gatineau residents.
Last night, 6-17mm of rain fell nationwide, while 9.2mm was expected today. Weather conditions that caused the Ottawa River to overflow in several places, particularly in the Pointe-Gatineau district, where many streets were closed to traffic after being submerged. The access and exit ramps for Highway 50 also remain closed eastbound, at rue Saint-Louis.
“We can see quite clearly that this weather is causing us trouble,” said Gatineau Mayor France Bélisle on Wednesday during a press briefing held in the middle of the afternoon outside, despite the pouring rain. . Surrounded by water, residents began to circulate in kayaks or other types of watercraft in the city, giving rise to images reminiscent of the floods that occurred in 2017 and 2019, which had caused significant damage in Gatineau.
The director of the Gatineau Fire Safety Service (SSIG) and municipal civil security coordinator, Denis Doucet, also invited residents who travel with their own boat on the streets of the city on Wednesday to wear a life jacket. to avoid “drowning”. He also asked residents “who started using a generator” after losing power in their homes to remember to use carbon monoxide detectors to avoid poisoning.
“That’s the advice I would give to the diehards who stay in their residence to watch their pump and everything,” Doucet said.
The number of victims also continued to increase on Wednesday. 46 people living in 20 residences in Gatineau have been taken care of so far by the Red Cross in order to stay at the hotel, according to a report issued at the end of the afternoon. Several other residents have instead decided to find refuge with relatives or friends, when the City reports 330 people registered as disaster victims in the register of the City of Gatineau. A shelter has also been opened to provide shelter for residents affected by this spring flood.
A call to leave
In the Pointe-Gatineau sector, residents of many streets were asked on Wednesday to move their vehicle to prevent it from being damaged by the rising waters, or to simply leave the premises. “The more the hours go by, the more you risk finding yourself landlocked at home given the rising waters that are expected. We are still waiting for rain, it should continue during the night, ”noted the mayor. “So we invite you as far as possible to leave your residence, unless you decide to stay locked up at home,” she said.
The SSIG also provided itself on Wednesday with a third boat available to evacuate the residents who would have remained in their residence surrounded by water and who would no longer be able to get out. Residents in need of such evacuation service should contact 311, Ms.me Belisle.
“If you have the slightest doubt about the safety of traveling in several centimeters of water, do not hesitate to call 311 and it will be forwarded to the firefighters and teams will go on site,” added Denis Doucet.
wait for good weather
According to Environment Canada, the showers could continue Thursday and Friday in Gatineau, before the return of sunny weather, which will continue for several days from Saturday in the region.
In this sense, the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board indicated Wednesday evening, in its forecast, that water levels should peak Thursday or Friday in the region. However, this peak should remain lower than that reached during the historic floods of 2019, which was 60 cm in the section from Ottawa and Gatineau to Hawkesbury and Grenville.
Subsequently, “water levels and flows should stabilize from the weekend and should begin to drop slowly over the next week with the expected return of sunny weather and without rain”, foresees the organization, while wanting to be cautious. “If a weather event bringing significant amounts of precipitation were to occur over the next few weeks, levels could rise again. »