Freezing rain : Châteauguay declares state of emergency measures

The City declared a state of emergency measures last Thursday due to 200 floods in residences and associated risks to 10,000 others. This was due to the freezing rain that fell the day before.

This decree was to be effective until further notice in order to better manage the crisis, which could last for a few days, Mayor Éric Allard said.

In concrete terms, the decree means that the administration can spend more to provide for the needs of citizens and quickly set up shelters, he explained.

"What is most worrying is the possible flooding," he told Le Soleil de Châteauguay.

Fortunately, at the time of going to press on Friday, the situation had not worsened and was under control. Of the 16,000 customers without power on Thursday, only 4,000 remained without power.

Floods occurred in several home basements because sump pumps stopped working due to power outages, while municipal equipment was also overloaded due to lack of electricity.

"There is a lot of work that needs to be done and the City employees are working tirelessly on it. I thank them for everything they are doing right now," said the mayor.

(Picture: Jules Gauthier)

More affected areas

On April 5th, 95 millimeters of water fell in less than 12 hours. Sewer networks filled up and several pumps were dumping excess water into the Châteauguay basin. But they were not sufficient for the task.

Many residences located in the north of the municipality, on the banks of the Châteauguay River, were severely affected by floods and backflows, while the water level remained a concern.

On Provost Street and Boivin Street in particular, firefighters were pumping water from flooded homes.

"This northern sector of the city is a bit lower than D'Youville Street, which runs along the river, making it more at risk for floods and unfortunately that's what happened," explained Patrice Greer, chief of operations for the Châteauguay Fire Department.

(Picture : Emilie Palumbi)

Refuge

On Thursday morning, the City opened the G.P.-Vanier Center to allow citizens to warm up, recharge their cell phone and tablet batteries, eat a little and access wifi. The Raymond-Laberge Library was also available. Depending on demand, the Manoir D'Youville remained an option to accommodate those affected.