The riverside municipalities of Centre-du-Québec are preparing for a possible flood of water, following the mild weather of the last week and the rain of the weekend.
The weather conditions caused the level of several rivers to swell, including the St. Lawrence River, which rose by one meter in one week.
In Nicolet, the river is at 2.20 m. “You have to be around 3.40 m to start talking about flooding, so it’s not yet worrying,” reassured Mayor Geneviève Dubois.
In his city, we are now preparing several months in advance. A dike was installed along the river last fall in preparation for the spring. “In 24 hours, we are able to protect our eyes, protect our pumping facilities and provide citizens with heaps of sand,” she said.
In Bécancour too, we prepare in advance. Two weeks ago, the City distributed preventive leaflets to some 500 addresses. It includes information on insurance, ways to protect yourself and ensure safety, as well as the contents of an emergency kit.
People can already fill up sandbags if they wish and the equipment to close sections of road if needed is already in place, although the situation is far from critical.
“Currently, the level of the river is not abnormal,” said Mayor Lucie Allard. This morning, [le débit] was at 185 cubic meters and it becomes more risky at 250-270 cubic meters.
The two cities were hard hit by the floods of 2017 and 2019. Nicolet also had to review its ways of doing things. Now, the City lets citizens fill their sandbags themselves.
“We will coordinate the volunteers, we will provide them with everything they need to pack their bags, but it will no longer be the City,” explained Ms. Dubois.
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com