Quebec officials warn spring flood season not over as waters begin to recede
The Canadian Press | Posted: May 8, 2023 12:04 AM | Last Updated: May 8, 2023
Water levels will remain high for another week or 2, officials say
Quebec's Public Security Ministry t says water levels across the province have started to decline, but warned the spring flood season is not yet over.
The Outaouais region in western Quebec and the Laurentians region northwest of Montreal remain the most affected parts of the province, the department said Sunday.
In the Outaouais, 23 municipalities have been affected by flooding, while 18 have been affected in the Laurentians.
East of the Laurentians, in the neighbouring Lanaudière region, 15 municipalities have been affected by flooding, while in the Montérégie region, south and east of Montreal, 10 municipalities have been affected.
"Across the province, the situation is improving very well, given that we've had nice weather, dry weather, and this will continue for several days," Joshua Ménard-Suarez, a civil security spokesman at the province's Public Security Ministry, said Sunday.
"All watercourses are going down."
Dry weather is forecasted to continue in the province until Wednesday.
Some rivers that overflowed have returned to their normal courses and have room to accommodate more precipitation without flooding again, Ménard-Suarez said in an interview.
WATCH | Major floods in Quebec's Charlevoix region:
Across the province, 88 municipalities have been affected by flooding and 625 people have been forced from their homes.
In Gatineau, Que., the largest city in the Outaouais region, 137 residents are being housed by the Red Cross in hotel rooms after they were forced from their homes.
The city said that while it expects floodwaters to begin receding soon, it's asking residents to remain vigilant.
"Even though the situation is encouraging, it remains precarious," the city said in a news release Sunday.
"Water levels will remain high for another week or two, and could rise again if there is heavy rain."