MOTHER NATURE DELIVERS MESSAGE
Flood was a reminder both how vulnerable and lucky we are living in this community
If there are still any climatechange naysayers after the recent epic flooding of Montreal, Laval, West Island and Off-Island communities, I challenge them to rethink their stance.
I think it’s safe to say Mother Nature sent us a pretty strong message that she’s not a happy camper.
If the last two weeks has taught me anything it is that in spite of all our technological advances, we’re at the mercy of Mother Nature. All can be lost in a heartbeat.
Luckily, the community rallied back, rolled up their sleeves and bagged sand, built barriers, fed displaced residents and volunteers, evacuated people from their homes, and rescued pets.
As if that weren’t enough, community groups joined forces to start collecting food, toiletries, clothes and household materials for those affected by the flood.
I spent a few hours at the Plaza Pointe-Claire last week sorting and organizing donations and it was overwhelming to witness first-hand the generosity and outpouring of support by donors for total strangers. Even as volunteers were trying to close up shop at the end of a long day, people were still coming, pushing grocery carts filled with nonperishables.
In my own community of Pincourt, no one had to be evacuated and all those homes at risk of flooding from the Ottawa River were given top priority by the city and its many volunteers, who worked tirelessly to safeguard those properties.
It really hit home for me only when the Galipeault Bridge was closed to traffic in both directions for a couple of days because of the rising water. Sure we could always get off Île-Perrot from the Taschereau Bridge to Vaudreuil-Dorion, but the possibility of being stranded on my little island was somewhat disconcerting.
That feeling of vulnerability is all very reminiscent of the ice storm of 1998, when 1.2 million homes in Quebec lost power and approximately 600,000 people had to leave their homes. Ask anyone today who lived through the ice storm without power in the middle of January and they can tell you in great detail their experience and how it has left a long-lasting impression.
When you couple that with the more recent snow storm which left motorists stranded in their cars on Highway 13 overnight, it makes you wonder what else Mother Nature has in store for us.
I suspect as we head into the subsequent phase of the flooding, the cleanup and recovery, those hit hardest by the disaster are going to need just as much support as they received during the crisis. There will be costly renovations to worry about, furniture and other household items to repair or replace. The water will recede but it may take weeks, maybe months, to recover.
For those I know personally who have to deal with water damage or had to evacuate their home in the wee hours of the morning, it’s not over yet but it’s clear there is a whole community who has your back.