Rising rivers, flood risk keep Quebec communities on high alert

The City of Sherbrooke said the Saint-François River had swelled to the point that it reached 20 feet deep. Preventive evacuations and street closures were carried out.

Heavy rain and rising river waters kept some communities in Quebec on high alert Tuesday, as parts of the province remained under a rainfall warning.

The City of Sherbrooke in the Eastern Townships said the Saint-François River had swelled to the point that it reached 20 feet deep. Preventive evacuations were carried out for some homes, a campground and a garage near the river.

Public security officials continued to closely monitor the situation and also closed several streets at risk of flooding.

“Although the flow has decreased considerably in recent hours, the level of the river continues to evolve and has just reached the level of 20 feet,” the city said on its website.

Meanwhile, 220 homes were evacuated in Ste-Brigitte-de-Laval, near Quebec City, amid fears that water levels on the rise will lead to flooding. About 70 millimetres of rain fell over a few hours north of the town and the water level of a local river is rising rapidly, city manager Marc Proulx said.

Environment Canada’s rainfall warning remained in effect for several areas Tuesday morning, including Saguenay, La Tuque and Les Escoumins. Some of those areas can expect up to another 50 millimetres of precipitation by the end of the day.

Quebec Premier François Legault said in a message on social media late Monday that the government is closely monitoring the situation in several regions where heavy precipitation is expected.

“I’m asking all Quebecers to be careful,” he said.