Officials are warning that the town of Rigaud isn’t out of the woods yet after it experienced its worst flooding since 1998. The town remains in a state of emergency after about two dozen residences were evacuated and another 300 were flooded.
Town officials are telling residents in homes touched by the Ottawa River not to drink well water as it may be contaminated, and are warning those choosing to stay in their homes that they cannot provide first-responder services on streets that have been flooded.
“There are 50 reasons why those people should leave, and 50 reasons why they should stay. We left it up to them,” said Mayor Hans Gruenwald Jr. Provincial police officers went door to door to make sure that residents were safe in their homes, at times using an amphibious all-terrain vehicle.
No one has been reported injured in the floods, and the extent of the damage is as yet unknown. The Ottawa River did recede one inch since Friday and there’s no rain in the forecast on Sunday.
Nonetheless, officials warn that the town should remain vigilant. “It’s not over until it’s over,” said Quebec Public Health Minister Lucie Charlebois.
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