Record flooding overwhelms homeowners, forces public-service shutdown in Gatineau

Hundreds of people on both sides of the Ottawa River gave up the fight and abandoned their homes as flood waters continued to rise on a rain-soaked weekend.

And on the Quebec side of the river, government offices — both federal and provincial — will remain closed on Monday to help clear the way for emergency workers to deal with widespread flooding and street closings.

Canadian Forces troops started arriving in Gatineau on Saturday night to help emergency services in that city get through treacherous waters to reach people cut off from dry land as water the Ottawa River rose to record levels on Sunday.

Gatineau Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin said that as of Sunday, 741 residents were displaced from their homes, up from 416 a day earlier; 411 houses were evacuated on the weekend, about 150 of them on Sunday.

Hydro-Québec has intentionally cut power to 243 homes as a matter of last resort, the mayor said.

The Hull and Gatineau hospitals have both cancelled elective surgery, endoscopic procedures, some outpatient clinics and some other service for 24 hours because of the floods. Hospital officials said patients involved had been contacted.

From Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, the Ottawa River rose 17 centimetres at Gatineau and was expected to rise a further five centimetres before its peak on Monday, according to the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board.

The rainfall warning ended for the Ottawa-Gatineau area overnight on Saturday, with more than 117 mm having fallen on the region since May 1.

Federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale tweeted the federal government would provide emergency materials requested by the province.

In Gatineau, where a state of emergency has been declared, Canadian Forces personnel used their heavy vehicles to help police reach difficult to access areas.

Capt. James Fitzgerald said soldiers were focusing on three priority communities: Pontiac, the MRC of Pontiac, and Gatineau.

The deployment in Gatineau involves 80 soldiers with 20 vehicles, plus 60 engineers who arrived Sunday around 10 a.m. with boats.

“We’re here in the service of the civilian authorities,” Fitzgerald said as the arriving engineers set up their cots in the Hull Regiment’s parade hall.

“It’s their show; we’re just here to help.”

He said soldiers won’t remove people who don’t want to evacuate, but they will check whether people look healthy and have enough food and access to emergency information.

We’re here in the service of the civilian authorities. It’s their show; we’re just here to help. CAPT. JAMES FITZGERALD

Quebec Justice Minister Stéphanie Vallée, who’s also the minister responsible for West Quebec issues, said anyone who can work from home should do so to avoid clogging the roads.