Deadly flooding in Quebec, around 600 troops deployed

Digital WritersThe Weather Network
Digital Writers

Days of rain and melting snowpack has caused numerous rivers to burst their banks.

Quebec's flood emergency continued on the last day of Easter Weekend, with states of emergency declared in several communities, at least one fatality reported, and hundreds of Canadian Forces troops either deployed or on standby.

Some 600 troops have been deployed in communities across the province, helping in evacuations and sandbagging efforts. CBC reports that, as of Sunday morning, around 1,200 people have had to leave their homes, and about 1,000 homes have flooded. Around 370 homes have also been cut off, according to the Montreal Gazette.

The town of Rigaud, which is located near the Quebec and Ontario border, advised residents to evacuate their homes as early as Thursday, before the deluge, for fear this year's flood could be worse than in 2017, when more 400 families were urged to leave.

The town's Facebook page said Sunday the water continues to rise, reaching above 24 metres shortly.

"Please evacuate before it's too late. Don't risk your life unnecessarily!" the town says.

WATCH BELOW: A LOOK AT THE FLOODING IN RIGAUD WHERE CARS ARE TRAPPED

Mild temperatures, the recent heavy rainfall, and still-existing snowpack are responsible for the flooding conditions.

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The flooding situation has proven fatal, with at least one fatality reported: a 72-year-old woman who was killed Saturday morning in Pontiac, approximately 50 kilometres west of Ottawa, when the vehicle she was in became submerged in a sinkhole after flood waters washed out a culvert.

Police said in a statement Saturday that the woman was alone in the vehicle at the time of the incident, and she was pronounced dead in hospital.

The Quebec government has stated that some stores will be allowed to stay open on Easter Sunday to supply materials that could be needed by individuals impacted by flooding.

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