A near-stationary line of thunderstorms dumped 100 to 150 millimetres of rain in a few hours on the west side of the Island of Montreal and on several localities on the South Shore, according to a report issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday evening.
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Areas of the West Island of Montreal were affected by flooding and power outages on Saturday, following heavy rains that hit southern Quebec.
The Montreal Fire Department (SIM) reported that its crews were working on the ground Saturday evening to assist residents in the Pierrefonds-Roxboro and Dollard-des-Ormeaux sectors. Around 10:15 p.m., the SIM indicated that the situation was under control.
Anthony Dorelas, spokesperson for the Montreal Police (SPVM), indicated that the police force was called in to assist the City regarding these floods.
Police have blocked several streets in the areas of Pierrefonds Boulevard, Fredmir Street, Anselme-Lavigne Avenue and Jacques-Bizard Boulevard, Dorelas said.
Power outages on Sunday
There were still 7566 addresses without electricity shortly after 7 a.m. Sunday morning, mainly in the Montreal area (6698), as well as 661 addresses in Montérégie.
Around 11 p.m., approximately 20,000 Hydro-Québec customers in Montreal were without power, mostly in the West Island. Several power outages were also reported Saturday night in the Montérégie, Outaouais, and Laurentians regions.
The Minister of Homeland Security, Ian Lafrenière, said he was following the flood situation “very closely”.
“My team and those of the Department of Homeland Security are in contact with the affected municipalities,” he wrote in a social media post.
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport indicated Saturday evening that the storms and weather conditions were “impacting flight schedules, ground operations and baggage delivery.”
“Passengers with scheduled flights departing from YUL are advised to check their flight schedule before heading to the airport,” the airport stated on social media.
The situation appeared to have returned to normal by Sunday morning.
The South Shore of the metropolis was also dealing with flooding. The City of Saint-Constant declared a local state of emergency Saturday evening, as “heavy rainfall has caused significant damage to several residential properties and some road infrastructure,” the municipality stated on social media.
“In order to reduce the risk of backflow in basements, we ask citizens to limit their water use as much as possible until further notice,” the City of Saint-Constant stated on its website and social media.
Environment Canada reminds everyone that heavy rains can cause flash floods and significantly reduce visibility.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
