Montreal isn't under serious threat of flooding but officials ready to act as needed, mayor says
Fire service says it doesn't appear water levels will rise as high as they have in the past
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says authorities are ready to fight back against flooding if rising rivers threaten the city.
"We want to reassure everybody that we are ready. We have learned from the past years," she said. "We will be ready for whatever happens."
The water is rising, but officials are confident that everybody should be OK if there are no serious weather changes, Plante said during a news conference Tuesday in the borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville.
Montreal fire Chief Richard Liebmann, who also co-ordinates emergency management, said authorities have been watching water levels for a few weeks now. The flow rates are a bit lower than anticipated, but this could change suddenly due to snow melt or heavy rains in sectors to the northwest that feed the rivers, he said.
He said there have been efforts to help boroughs and suburbs prepare for flooding and now "we will be ready for whatever happens."
Liebmann says the fire service wants to reassure everybody that it is ready to take action to protect private and public properties as needed.
He encouraged homeowners to take the necessary steps to prevent flooding or at least minimize damage should flooding occur. If anybody needs help, he said they should call 311.
He said the city is not facing the same scenario as in 2017, when rising waters caused substantial damage.
Authorities learned from that experience and are more ready this time, with a stronger understanding of how to minimize damage, he said.
In 2019, river flow rates reached higher levels than 2017, he said, but the damage was less because of the measures that were put in place.
Flooding risks are increased when there is intense rain adding to the snow melt, he said. Still, he repeated, things could change suddenly. It's nearly impossible to know for sure what kind of rain is coming in the next two weeks or so, he added.
"We are prepared and we are taking measures to protect properties and we are there for you for whatever help you may need," Liebmann said.
"Right now, with the forecast we have for the next 48 hours, is not alarming. It's not at a level anywhere near where we were in 2019 or 2017."