Montreal to prolong state of emergency due to flooding
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says the state of emergency covering the island should remain in place as water levels remain high, threatening the western and northern edges of the city with flooding.
"The situation is stable," she told Radio-Canada Thursday afternoon, but she said as the risk of dikes being breached continues, it's important that the city retain the ability to act quickly, if necessary.
People on De Gaulle Street in Montreal's Pierrefonds district had the scare of their lives Tuesday morning, as water started pouring over a dike holding back the the Rivière des Prairies. (CBC)
The state of emergency means Montreal's fire protection service continues to manage the flood response, ensuring there are teams on the ground to monitor dikes in case they are breached by floodwater.
Pierrefonds–Roxboro borough Mayor Jim Beis said he asked for the state of emergency to be extended this morning.
"The water hasn't receded yet, and it's still creating a lot of pressure throughout the territory," he said.
He pointed to quick repairs made to a dike in his borough earlier this week, that, if left unattended, could have resulted in the flooding of about 100 homes.
He said he is looking for any and all support until the water recedes.
The state of emergency was put in place on Friday and was extended until today. City council will hold a special meeting tomorrow to vote on keeping the state of emergency in place.
The Galipeault Bridge was closed for most of the week due to the risk of flooding. (Conrad Fournier/Radio-Canada)
"We're asking citizens to stay vigilant," said Rosannie Filato, the city's executive committee member responsible for public security.
"Although it looks stable right now, Mother Nature is unpredictable."
OFF-ISLAND COMMUTERS HAVE THEIR BRIDGE BACK
Some good news for Montreal's flooded West Island: the Galipeault Bridge has reopened.
The bridge, linking the West Island to Île Perrot along Highway 20, was closed Saturday as elevated water levels rendered it unsafe.
In a statement, Transports Québec said it does not anticipate the water flowing under the bridge to rise in the coming days.
However, the bridge and other roads could close again if the ministry deems them unsafe.
According to the latest numbers from Quebec's Public Security Ministry, 192 homes in Montreal and 337 in Laval have flooded.
With files from Antoni Nerestant.
This article was originally published by CBC News.
