Flooding forces hundreds of evacuations as Quebec towns declare states of emergency

Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes and several towns have declared states of emergency after torrential rains spiked river levels and lead to widespread flooding in Quebec.

The municipalities of Baie-Saint-Paul, Saint-Côme and Sainte-Émélie-de-l'Énergie are under a state of emergency Tuesday after flooding caused by heavy rain.

Environment Climate Change Canada (ECCC) recorded about 56 millimetres of rainfall in Baie-Saint-Paul, Monday.

Wind gusts of more than 100 km/h were also recorded in Cap-Rouge, Saguenay and Île d'Orléans.

More than 500 people have had to leave their homes in Baie-Saint-Paul, Que., after the level of the Gouffre River, which runs through the town, spiked on Monday.

Chloé Gosselin, who lives near the river, didn't sleep much last night. Looking down into the basement of her home in Baie-Saint-Paul, Que., located 100 kilometres northeast of Quebec City, her mattress was floating alongside papers and drawings in muddy water.

"I basically had everything in there. That was my bedroom, my son's bedroom, my second sitting room. I had all my valuables, all my papers," said Gosselin.

She said her home flooded twice since she moved 12 years ago, but the previous floods didn't compare to this one.

The floodwaters washed out roads and carried debris including several motorhomes, which were filmed on social media smashing into bridges near the town, which is an hour drive northeast of Quebec City. 

In Saint-Urbain, north of Baie-Saint-Paul, the search continued for two firefighters who were swept away by the waves of a swollen river Monday while helping two residents caught in the raging waters. A command post has been set up to coordinate search efforts for the volunteer firefighters.

Baie-Saint-Paul town officials said in a statement early Tuesday that beds were available a shelter in town and at a nearby camp for the 584 residents who were displaced by the flooding.

More than 1,000 Hydro-Québec customers are without power in the area. 

The flooding affected the town's drinking water supply, but the situation has mostly been restored aside from fewer than 10 homes that still don't have potable water, according to town officials.

Nonetheless, a preventive five-minute boil-water advisory has been issued and will remain in effect for Baie-Saint-Paul residents for the next Tuesday and Wednesday.