Rain leads to emergency measures in Outaouais communities

A storm that has dumped a month's worth of rain on the region in two days seems to be hitting the Outaouais hardest.

The municipality of La Pêche declared a state of emergency at 9:30 a.m. Monday, after flooding caused a number of road closures, including the collapse of Chemin McLinton in the village of Wakefield. 

But it's not the only community where roads have been washed out and power has been knocked out.

The MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais set up a command post early Monday morning at its headquarters in Wakefield, and the police force deployed "to respond to emergencies and requests from citizens throughout the territory," according to the neighbouring municipality of Chelsea.

Here are the road closures in effect. Check with your local municipality for other roads you should avoid and latest updates.

Chelsea, Que.

• Chemin du Lac Meech from 692 chemin du Lac Meech.
• Chemin de la Montagne between chemin Kelly and chemin Hollow Glen.
• Chemin Hollow Glen.
• Chemin Fleury.
• Chemin Kelly, between chemin de la Montagne and chemin de la Paix.
• Chemin de la Rivière, to the limit with La Pêche due to a landslide. Detour via chemin Carman in Chelsea and chemin Rockhurst in La Pêche.

Check their website for latest updates.

La Pêche, Que.

• Chemin McCrank-Belanger (Masham).
• Chemin McLinton (Wakefield).
• Valley-de-Wakefield Drive (Wakefield).
• Chemin Burnside (Wakefield).
• Chemin Mill (Wakefield).
• Chemin Clark (Wakefield).
• Chemin Lac-Notre-Dame (Lac Notre Dame).
• Chemin de la Montagne (Alcove-Farrelton).
• Chemin du Lac Pike (Alcove-Farrelton).
• Chemin Colbert (Alcove).
• Chemin Parent (Duclos).

Cantley, Que.

• Montée St-Amour between Neuville and Lavergne streets.
  Rue des Princes between the streets of Manoirs and Marquis. Deviation by the Rue des Duchesses.
  Chemin du Mont-des-Cascades from Chemin du Pavillon to Chemin Cross.

Get the latest updates from Cantley on their website.

Val Des Monts, Que.

• Chemin de la Ferme closed at Chemin de Val-du-Lac.
• Chemin Corriveau closed at the end of the paved section.
• Chemin du Pouvoir closed at the bridge at Chemin du Pont
• Chemin de Val-du-Lac closed at beginning of road.
• Chemin des Monts.
• Chemin Sarrasin.
• Chemin du Fort closed at Chemin des Chasseurs and Chemin de la Chaumière.
• Chemin du Lac-Saint-Germain.
• Chemin de la Montagne.
• Chemin des Rapides.
• Chemin H.-Zurenski.

Val-des-Monts has also announced emergency measures, though not an actual state of emergency.

Mobile home park in Gatineau evacuated

In Gatineau, emergency services personnel headed to an area near Highway 50 and Boulevard La Vérendrye to assist in the voluntary evacuation of residents from the Riviera mobile home park. Evacuees were taken to a community centre where the Red Cross was providing service. It's one of two Red Cross centres; the other is in Cantley, Que.

Chantal Durand left the mobile home park with her dog, Tyson, and said it was the second time the area had been evacuated due to flooding. She and other residents said the last time was six or seven years ago. 

 Being trapped by floodwaters even temporarily caused her some anxiety, Durand said.

"My mother's diabetic, so if she needs to go to the hospital, she needs to be out of there," Durand said.

For Lyne Maleau, having to evacuate also meant packing in a hurry for a pre-planned trip to New York City tomorrow, but she was grateful for the assistance of firefighters.

Maleau expressed concern about the infrastructure that serves the mobile home park, and its ability to handle heavy rains.

"They're going to have to re-do the street very well for the future," Maleau said.

At least a dozen roads in Gatineau were badly affected by flooding. Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin said some of the flooding was due to fallen leaves blocking drains.