Homes, daycares evacuated in downtown Matane, Que., amid flooding and ice jams
84 buildings were evacuated for several hours as ice stilled the flow of the Matane River
An ice jam on the Matane River in Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula prompted flooding and the evacuation of dozens of homes and businesses in the city of Matane on Thursday.
Blocks of jagged ice and logs could be seen filling the entire river surface and spilling onto nearby properties in the city's downtown. Emergency services and provincial police were called to the area before 9 a.m. as the river was getting higher. Soon after that, ice began to cover large swaths, stilling the flow and prompting the evacuation order.
Residents were asked to vacate 84 buildings in the city of about 14,000 people. A disaster services centre was established at the city hall's civic centre.
"We evacuated the whole eastern portion of the city centre and it's definitely an issue because, for example, there were daycares that had to be evacuated," said Mayor Eddy Métivier.
A high tide of 3.5 metres was forecast for late Thursday morning. Winter tides are higher than at other times of year in the region.
The flooding also closed the Marie-Marsolet Bridge for several hours, but it reopened by late afternoon.
By 4 p.m., some residents were allowed back into their homes, but Métivier said the city would be on alert until the ice cleared.
The mayor said it was still too early to assess the extent of the damage, but that several basements were filled with water.
Written by Verity Stevenson