The City of Vaudreuil-Dorion, located off the western tip of the island of Montreal, is declaring state of emergency amid heavy rain and rising water levels in the area.
The measure, which was announced Saturday morning, comes as historic flooding is underway in Quebec. Local authorities say it allows them to control traffic and issue an emergency evacuation order if needed.
Mayor Guy Pilon told Global News that the town had a head start on flood preparations, but more help was still needed
“We’re one of the only towns that had sandbags ready,” he said, adding that 25,000 of the pre-made sandbags had already been delivered.
“We have 350 volunteers and the goal is to make 15,000 more sandbags this weekend.”
READ MORE: Montreal declares state of emergency as flooding worsens
The mayor urged anyone who wanted to help to consult the city’s Facebook page for the latest information.
The Galipeault Bridge on Highway 20, which connects Île-Perrot to Montreal’s West Island, is also closed until further notice due to rising water.
Quebec’s Transport Ministry announced the measure early Saturday morning amid heavy rainfall, saying the bridge is at risk of flooding.
“When we close roads it’s because it’s a question of safety,” said Quebec Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault.
As a detour, drivers can still use highways 30 and 40 to get to and from Île-Perrot. The toll for Highway 30 is lifted until further notice.
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If the Galipeault Bridge remains closed next week, residents can use the Vaudreuil-Hudson train line free of charge.
The City of Vaudreuil-Dorion says that St-Charles Avenue — which links highways 20 and 40 — is closed between Paul-Gérin-Lajoie and Léger streets.
The bridge between Vaudreuil-Dorion and Île-Cadieux is also closed to traffic, as is the Île Bigras Bridge in Laval.
The transport ministry advises avoiding the area due to flooding. Drivers are asked to respect street closures and to follow instructions from local authorities.
Road closures, homes cut off as flooding strikes Quebec
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The closure comes as unrelenting rain drenches the southern half of Quebec. Environment Canada warned that up to 60 millimetres of rain was expected for several areas, including Montreal, Laval, the Laurentians, Lanaudière and Quebec City.
“Avoid driving through water on roads,” the weather agency said. “Even shallow, fast-moving water across a road can sweep a vehicle or a person away.”
READ MORE: Rigaud issues mandatory evacuation order as Quebec deals with record flooding
Urgence Quebec reports more than 3,000 homes are hit by flooding and more than 2,000 people have been forced from their homes as of Saturday afternoon. A total of 2,783 homes are also inaccessible due to washed-out roads and landslides.
Voluntary evacuations underway in Montreal boroughs
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon, warning residents in at-risk areas that water levels will continue to rise over the weekend.
While in Ahuntsic-Cartierville on Saturday, Plante said teams had been going to door to door in flood-stricken neighbourhoods to encourage voluntary evacuations.
Plante said about half the residents of the homes visited agreed to leave.
WATCH: Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante announced on Friday that they had declared a state of emergency in response to flooding in the region
“What we want is to avoid emergency evacuations,” she said, adding being asked to leave home is stressful enough without the added sense of urgency.
She also urged the public to avoid flooded neighbourhoods so as to not impede the work of emergency crews.
A short time after the mayor toured the borough, a breach appeared in the dike on Olivier Street.
City spokesperson Camille Bégin said a concerted effort involving about 50 people, including firefighters, police, military personnel and the city’s blue collar workers allowed for a quick fix to the problem.
Sandbags were added to fill the breach and reinforce the dike, before water was pumped back into the river.
Bégin explained that because of the state of emergency, crews were already on the ground and ready to jump into action.
Evacuation order maintained in Rigaud
In Rigaud, located about 80 kilometres west of Montreal near the Ontario border, an evacuation order was implemented Friday for residents in flood-stricken areas. With rising floodwaters, authorities say they can no longer guarantee the safety of its citizens.
Pointe-Calumet officials have also issued a state of emergency. The municipality, located in the Laurentians along the Deux-Montagnes Lake, is home to a little more than 6,000 people.
Authorities are also keeping a close eye on a hydroelectric dam, on a tributary of the Ottawa River between Ottawa and Montreal, that’s at risk of failing. Water at the Chute-Bell dam has reached levels expected to occur every 1,000 years, but Hydro-Québec says it’s confident the structure is solid.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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