Soldiers join flood fight
Man, toddler missing after car drifts into river in heavy flooding
MONTREAL — More than 1,500 soldiers hit the ground Monday to help Quebecers deal with “historic” flooding that has caused widespread damage and evacuations and sparked a desperate search for a man and a toddler whose vehicle swerved off a waterlogged road into a surging river.
The heavy current pulled the car toward the Sainte-Anne River in eastern Quebec and its occupants fell into the water when the vehicle flipped, said provincial police Sgt. Claude Doiron.
A woman who was in the car was able to save herself.
“For now, there’s no evidence that has been found that can lead us to the discovery of these two people,” said Doiron.
He said the man was trying to help people who were trapped in the area.
A police helicopter and divers were to help in the search, which continued as Quebec’s public security minister said water levels across the province were expected to peak between Monday and Wednesday.
Authorities expect the water to start receding by mid-week, said Martin Coiteux.
“What’s encouraging is that the water levels will stop climbing,” Coiteux said during a news conference in Montreal. “It’s very important to reiterate that. We are reaching maximum levels.
“The water levels in the flooded areas should start going down Wednesday. It may start earlier in certain sectors. But these levels are very high … so patience is required. But I know it’s hard.”
Heavy rains and melting snowpack across Quebec have so far flooded 2,426 residences in the province, forcing the evacuation of 1,520 people in almost 150 municipalities.
“We’re talking about historic levels of water,” said Quebec Environment Minister David Heurtel. “We haven’t seen this in more than 55 years.”
Heurtel said there were “encouraging signs” in the Outaouais region, near the Ontario border, where water levels were rising more slowly than before.
National Defence said approximately 800 additional troops were deployed in the province on Sunday, joining more than 400 Canadian Forces members already assisting with the flood effort. Some 1,650 soldiers in all were expected to be helping in the flood effort by the end of the day Monday.
The troops, along with aircraft and a dozen boats, were aiding communities across Quebec, several of which were under states of emergency, including Montreal and its northern suburbs.
“We are being ready to be responsive in any form or shape that is required to meet the task,” said Brig.- Gen. Hercule Gosselin. “So I have no concern, whatsoever, that we’re going to be able to answer the call from civil security.
“More than 90 per cent of all the troops are on the front lines working with firefighters, police officers and volunteers helping people.”
In the western Quebec community of Gatineau, 380 residences were evacuated and some federal employees were advised not to go to work on Monday because of the flooding.
Some parts of eastern Ontario were also hit hard by flooding, and Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the federal government was responding to a request from the Ontario government for “additional flood mitigation resources.”
Goodale noted the request did not include military help.
In Atlantic Canada, some parts of New Brunswick recorded more than 150 millimetres of rain after a nearly 36-hour non-stop downpour. And while the deluge tapered off early Sunday, New Brunswick’s St. John River had spilled its banks, forcing several road closures.