Summer storms raise flood risk, force evacuations in southern and central Quebec

Nearly 300 people had to leave their homes in Sherbrooke, Que., due to the risk of flooding caused by intense rainfall as the Saint-François River, which cuts through the city, rose to a threatening six metres on Tuesday.

"We want to offer [evacuees] all our moral support and tell them their city is behind them to support them through turbulent times," said Sherbrooke Mayor Évelyne Beaudin at a news conference.

Though no homes in the largest city in Quebec's Eastern Townships have flooded yet, Beaudin warns that it could happen in the next few hours.

Beaudin said the city has never seen the Saint-François River so high relative to how much rain fell. She says the city will have to adapt to increasingly unpredictable weather caused by climate change. 

"Prevention will always be better than being reactive," she said, adding that the city will need land and infrastructure that absorbs water. 

Sherbrooke evacuated the municipal garage near the bank of the river Monday. 

The rain forced the closure of the entrance to the Nicholls building at Bishop's University. Communications manager Sonia Patenaude explained that the building was one of the most vulnerable to rising floodwaters.

"It's on the first floor, and the door is at the same height as the pavement," she said.

In the Lac-Brome area of the Eastern Townships, several secondary roads were flooded due to rain, and a culvert was even swept away by the rising waters. For the moment, no evacuations have been carried out in the area.

Joshua Menard-Suarez, a spokesperson for Quebec's Public Security Ministry, says several parts of southern and central Quebec are being monitored for possible flooding and landslides.

Road closures in central Quebec

In Baie-Saint-Paul, about 90 kilometres northeast of Quebec City, Léo-Cauchon Road is closed due to the rain. 

Access to the Sainte-Anne Canyon, near Beaupré, is also closed. 

Highway 354 between Saint-Casimir and Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, as well as a small section of Route 363 southbound at Saint-Ubalde, have been partially washed out.

About 20 households in Trois-Saults also had to be evacuated.

Further north, the municipality of Lac-aux-Sables is asking residents to limit travel on certain roads and streets within its territory.

State of emergency in Ste-Brigitte-de-Laval

Officials ordered the evacuation of some 220 homes in Ste-Brigitte-de-Laval, near Quebec City, amid fears that heavy rains and rising water levels could lead to flash flooding. The municipality declared a state of emergency Tuesday morning.

City manager Marc Proulx says 70 millimetres of rain fell over a few hours near the town, causing the Montmorency River to rise rapidly. He said the evacuation was ordered to ensure residents can leave safely.

Rainfall warnings

Environment Canada is forecasting that between 80 millimetres and 120 millimetres of rain will fall in the Quebec City area by the end of the day Tuesday.

The Valcartier-Stoneham, Portneuf, Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans and Quebec areas are still under rainfall warning as of Tuesday morning.

The situation is also being closely monitored in Charlevoix, where spring frost melt caused historic flooding on May 1.

In the Grands-Jardins and Hautes-Gorges de la rivière Malbaie provincial parks, trails have been closed due to heavy rainfall.

The rivers Nicolet, Bulstrode, Hurons, Mastigouche, Montmorency, Eaton, Saint-François and Missisquoi are overflowing, says Environment Canada. 

Environment Canada warns that torrential rains can cause flash flooding and water accumulation on roads.

Many areas have already received a lot of water over the past few days or even weeks, limiting their absorption capacity.