More flooding menaces Quebec

MONTREAL — Water levels in Quebec remained relatively stable on Thursday as many people braced for heavy rain that is expected to fall today and into the weekend.

While most of the serious flooding has occurred in and around Montreal and near the Ontario border, areas in eastern Quebec were preparing to be hit hard by a combination of melting snow and more precipitation.

Premier Philippe Couillard said 132 municipalities and 1,400 residences had either been affected or are threatened by the flooding as of Thursday.

“We know that water levels won’t drop in the next few days,” Couillard told a meeting of provincewide municipal officials.

“They will likely stay high or even get higher after the rain we’re going to get.”

Couillard said everything possible will be done to help people who are in danger zones.

Several major rivers across the province had overflowed their banks as of Thursday afternoon.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked about the flooding when he held a joint news conference in Montreal with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny.

“Our thoughts are with the families and communities affected by flooding here in Quebec and indeed across the country,” Trudeau said.

He said the federal government has been in touch with provincial governments and is ready to provide help if it is required.

Environment Canada has said heavy rain is expected to fall in several regions of Quebec on today and Saturday.

Meanwhile, the City of Toronto was preparing for possible flooding on the Toronto Islands.

Environment Canada warned Thursday that 40 to 70 millimetres of rain are expected from Thursday afternoon through Saturday.

The city and island residents prepared for the storm by deploying sandbags.