Quebec provincial police say an extensive search is underway to find two people believed to have been swept away by the current on a flooded river northeast of Quebec City.
Police spokesperson Sgt. Claude Doiron said Monday that two helicopters — one from the Canadian Armed Forces and one from the police service — were deployed to an area near the community of St-Urbain, Que., in the province’s Charlevoix region.
Doiron said two firefighters reportedly disappeared while they were attempting to assist local residents whose homes were flooded on Route 138, also known as Rang St-Georges.
In a press release Monday evening, police said they were called about the incident at around 2 p.m. and quickly dispatched a helicopter.
“The two occupants of the of the residence were airlifted and are safe and sound,” wrote SQ spokesperson Audrey-Anne Bilodeau.
Bilodeau, however, said the firefighters were still missing.
Nautical and ground searches are also underway and an SQ command centre has been set up in the nearby city of Baie-Saint-Paul.
“We’re maximizing our efforts,” Doiron said of the extensive search operation.
Police, however, clarified they were not leading the operation but were offering assistance and helping to coordinate.
Meanwhile, flooding in Baie-Saint-Paul prompted the mayor to enact emergency measures just after noon.
The city is asking people to stay in their homes and to call 911 if they need to evacuate.
A shelter with up to 150 beds has been set up at the local arena on Forget Street for residents who need a place to stay.
Several roads in the area are closed and the town’s two daycares were evacuated earlier in the day.
Dramatic video circulating online shows a recreational vehicle being swept away by rising waters before being sucked under a bridge in Baie-Saint-Paul.
During a late afternoon press conference, Mayor Michaël Pilote confirmed two people were missing but would not provide details.
Pilote only said the pair were not from his city.
Quebec Premier François Legault took to social media to express his concern over the situation in the North Shore community.
“I am wholeheartedly with the population of the Charlevoix and the municipalities affected by flooding he,” he wrote in French.
He added that Public Security Minister François Bonnardel is closely monitoring the situation and will be in Baie-Saint-Paul on Tuesday.
Legault also thanked emergency crews deployed in the area.
Earlier in the day, the Public Security Department warned of flooding and landslides in the Outaouais and Lanaudière regions and reminded motorists not to drive on flooded roadways.
Urgence Québec is also urging residents to stay informed of flooding risks or emergency measures via their municipality’s website or social media accounts.
— With files from The Canadian Press
- ‘Shock and disbelief’ after Manitoba school trustee’s Indigenous comments
- ‘Super lice’ are becoming more resistant to chemical shampoos. What to use instead
- Is home ownership only for the rich now? 80% say yes in new poll
- Invasive strep: ‘Don’t wait’ to seek care, N.S. woman warns on long road to recovery
Comments