Flooding prompts Prince Edward County to declare a state of emergency

Prince Edward County's mayor has declared a state of emergency following days of flooding that has prompted evacuations across eastern Ontario and Quebec.

• Why flooding has been such a problem in Ontario this week

The southeastern Ontario community is home to about 25,000 people, more than 60 per cent of whom are senior citizens, Mayor Robert Quaiff said Tuesday night.

Quaiff said he's concerned that some of those older residents might not be able to handle the physical hardship of laying sandbags to protect their properties against floodwaters. 

"I don't want to put their health and well-being in jeopardy," he said. "So this may be able to help me reach out for volunteers."

Heavy rains and already high water levels in the Great Lakes have contributed to flooding across eastern Ontario and Quebec, prompting the federal government to send in 1,200 military personnel to the affected areas. 

The mayor of Montreal declared a state of emergency on Monday.

60K sandbags

Prince Edward County has already has already distributed 20,000 sandbags in six days, with another 40,000 expected to arrive Wednesday morning. 

"Though the rivers have peaked, Quinte Conservation is telling us that Lake Ontario has not," Quaiff said. "There's potential for it to rise by six to 12 inches; if we get into a wind situation, that'll make things worse."

The mayor said he hopes the county will receive help with sandbagging and other flood relief. But he said the declaration will also make it easier for property owners to apply for disaster relief if need be.

Quaiff said he also hopes the province or the federal government can provide a helicopter to help the county assess which areas are most vulnerable to the rising shorelines.