Nearly 1,300 people were left stranded across Quebec after the remnants of the storm Debby seriously damaged about a hundred roads on Friday. The flood also forced the emergency evacuation of 300 people.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, it will take a few days before all isolated areas are opened up. “Emergency services are establishing temporary access routes to ensure their safety and that they do not lack anything,” explained the Ministry’s spokesperson, Denis Belanger.
The significant amounts of rain brought by the remnants of the storm Debby caused water to accumulate on the road network, particularly in Lanaudière, Mauricie and Estrie. No fewer than forty highways had to be closed on Saturday due to flooding or broken road surfaces.
On Saturday, a state of emergency was in effect in several municipalities across the province.
Public Security said it is in contact with about forty municipalities to help them. Public Security Minister François Bonnardel was to sign a ministerial decree on Saturday to implement an emergency financial aid program.
The latter will aim to help municipalities that have had to incur “exceptional costs” because of the storm. Debbyas well as citizens flooded due to flooding of rivers or streams.
Nearly 55,000 homes without electricity
Nearly 55,000 Hydro-Québec customers were still without power Saturday night. According to Hydro-Québec spokesperson Louis-Olivier Batty, a large majority of the power outages were due to the shutdown of three electrical transformer stations on Montreal’s South Shore. Vegetation near power lines was also a major cause of outages in Quebec.
Hydro-Québec had “the human resources to respond if needed,” according to him, but the state-owned company was taken by surprise by the large quantity of water that fell in such a short time.
Louis-Olivier Batty estimated that most of Hydro-Québec’s customers will be reconnected to the network on Sunday, but that some more damaged areas such as Estrie and the Laurentians will have to wait even longer.
No fewer than 400 workers were deployed on Saturday to reconnect the entire network.
Check the status of the Hydro-Québec network
Montreal “under control”
In Montreal, “the situation is under control, but it is not 100% back to normal,” said Marie-Andrée Mauger, responsible for the environment and ecological transition on the executive committee of the City of Montreal, during a press briefing on Saturday.
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) road network is operational, but some municipal infrastructure had to be closed.
Montreal Fire Department teams took part in 614 interventions Friday evening, 135 of which involved flooding, according to division chief Martin Guilbault, who was also present during the speech.
Authorities reportedly used boats three times to rescue residents where the causeway was flooded.
Laval at work
On Friday evening, two emergency generators at the Cité-de-la-Santé hospital in Laval stopped working for nearly two hours. A surgeon on duty Friday evening told The Press having been forced to complete an operation with a flashlight.
The CIUSS de Laval confirmed in an email that a breakdown occurred during an operation. “The operation ended with supplemental lighting. At no time were the safety of the user or the quality of care compromised,” it read.
On Saturday, the City of Laval deployed 70 of its employees to secure the facilities and meet with citizens in need, with the assistance of the municipality’s emergency services.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The basement of a residence on rue des Patriotes, in the Sainte-Rose district of Laval, was flooded following a sewer backup.
The Guimond sports complex was open until Sunday to welcome citizens wishing to have access to sanitary facilities and recharge their electronic devices. The nine libraries will be open all weekend to welcome citizens.
Laval public affairs councillor Jonathan Levesque stressed that tap water is still drinkable in the city, but that swimming pools and beach access are closed “until further notice” as a precaution.