(Montreal) Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Montreal area on Saturday morning, with the risk of “very strong gusts, large hail and torrential rain”.
The federal agency reminds on its website that “very large hail can damage property, break windows, dent vehicles and cause serious injuries”. It is recommended that Canadians go indoors when thunder is rumbling.
Smog warnings in effect
Several regions of Quebec remain under the smog, Saturday, due to the forest fires which are still active in the province. Montreal was still among the top 3 of the most polluted cities around the world on Saturday morning, according to the IQAir website.
Smog warnings issued by Environment Canada are in effect in particular for the regions of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Drummondville, Estrie, Gatineau, Lanaudière, Laurentides, Mauricie and Montreal.
“High concentrations of fine particles from forest fires lead to poor air quality. These conditions could persist through Sunday,” reads the federal agency’s website.
Saturday morning, Montreal was in third place among the cities with the most polluted air in the world, according to the ranking of the IQAir website. At the forefront was Jakarta, Indonesia, followed by Lahore, Pakistan.
The City of Montreal had announced the closure of its outdoor sports facilities on Friday morning. The infrastructures were gradually reopened during the afternoon. Saturday morning, no swimming pool, paddling pool or sports field closures had been announced due to smog.
The closure of sports facilities had not been recommended by the Regional Directorate of Public Health on Friday.
Environment Canada specifies that smog particularly affects asthmatic children and people with respiratory or cardiac diseases. The organization therefore recommends that these people do not engage in physical activity outdoors until the smog warning is lifted.
Exposure to smog can cause several symptoms, such as itchy or watery eyes, runny nose, sore throat, mild cough, headache or sinus irritation, indicates Montreal Public Health on his website.
“Everyone can improve air quality by taking simple actions such as using public transit, reducing the speed of their vehicle or avoiding leaving the engine running unnecessarily”, also specifies the warning from Environment Canada.
According to the Society for the Protection of Forests against Fire (SOPFEU), 97 fires were still active on Saturday in Quebec, 65 of which were in the intensive zone.
In Senneterre, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, a preventive evacuation notice is still in effect in the Mile 20 sector.
In the same region, residents of Lebel-sur-Quévillon could return to their homes from 8 a.m. Saturday morning.