Flood watch: Avoid flood zones, respect all safety measures

As spring flooding continues across Quebec, authorities are urging people to respect the safety measures put in place and to follow the advice of civil security officials.

“Please, do not take any unnecessary risks,” Quebec Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault said while visiting Saint-Raymond on Saturday.

On Saturday, police reported that a woman died near Pontiac, QC after the road she was driving on crumbled and her car crashed into the creek flowing beneath it.

A vehicle is seen in a gaping hole in the road in the Municipality of Pontiac, about 30 km northwest of Ottawa in this photo posted on the Twitter page of MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais.

The Sûreté du Québec has dispatched officers to some of the most affected areas, helping residents fight rising water levels but also ensuring people are staying clear of flooded roads.

“We are asking people to respect any temporary signage in place,” spokesperson Marie-Michèle Moore said on Saturday, adding that it’s crucial people avoid driving in at-risk sectors, especially if not necessary.

“Respecting the roadblocks in place is an obligation,” Moore said. “The signage in place is to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis has also asked people to take precautions, for both personal safety and to allow flood and emergency workers, if necessary, to do their jobs.

Urgence Québec has also asked people to avoid walking or driving on flooded roads. If you do drive over water, and the water causes your car’s engine to stall, it’s urging people to abandon their vehicles instead of risking being swept away.

Urgence Québec has also asked people to avoid walking or driving on flooded roads and near rising rivers. The water can rise quickly.

And despite people’s curiosity, Hydro-Québec has warned everyone to avoid river banks — given how suddenly the water may rise — and to also stay away from its hydropower facilities due to how strong currents are at the moment.

Here is an overview of other flood safety tips and post-flood advice offered by Urgence Québec. You can view the entire document here.

On the inside of your home:

  • Move your valuables as well as any items that can be removed from the basement or ground floor to an upper floor.
  • Put chemicals or harmful products in a safe place and out of children’s reach
  • In the absence of an anti-backflow valve, block sewers in the basement to avoid backflow
  • Plug the floor drain in the basement to reduce the amount of water that may come up through the drainpipe.
  • Install a sump-type submersible pump as well as a backflow preventer in the basement.

On the outside of your home:

  • Place sandbags and membranes in front of each entrance and opening (doors, garage and coping) if your municipality advises you to do so
  • Remove all objects from your yard that can be easily moved
  • Secure all bulky objects outdoors that could be carried away by the water, posing a threat to others.
  • Protect the windows facing the waterway with plywood.

Electricity and Natural Gas

  • Before the water starts to seep into the basement, it’s recommended you cut off the electrical power, close the water intake and heating appliances, and contact your gas supplier to shut off your pipeline.
  • If water has started entering your home before you’ve turned the power off, do not turn it off. Instead, call Hydro-Québec.

Potable water

  • Water is considered safe to drink if it comes from local waterworks unless the municipal waterworks authorities inform you otherwise.
  • During a flood, it’s considered unsafe to drink from private wells, even if it seems OK. Until you know the well water is safe, boil it for at least one minute or rely on bottled water.

Returning home after the flood

On its website, the Canadian government lists several tips for homeowners trying to deal with the after-effects of severe flooding.

All household items that have been damaged should be discarded immediately. Even if not obvious, bacteria brought in from the flood water could still be found in the likes of bookshelves or sofas and could lead to health issues in the future.

If the main power switch was turned off because of the flooding, people should make sure an electrician has deemed it safe to turn back on. Appliances that have been touched by water also pose a risk of shock or fire if turned on before being properly cleaned and dried.

Drywall, wood panelling and insulation should be removed at least 50 centimetres above the water line. Any flooring that was affected should also be removed and the remaining surface washed with unscented detergent and water.

When it comes time to clean up, remove any remaining water safely and gradually and do not heat your home more than four degrees Celsius until all the water is removed. Once the heating system is up and running, open doors and windows to air out the house as much as possible.

For insurance purposes, Urgence Québec recommends you document all the damages by taking as many photos as possible and keeping any receipts related to clean-up and repairs.

Presse Canadienne contributed to this report. 

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from Montreal Gazette https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/flood-watch-respect-safety-measures-in-place-authorities-urge
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