A state of emergency has been declared in Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac as a major evacuation is still underway. More than 2500 homes have been evacuated, which represents about a third of the city. Another sector is expected to be evacuated this morning.
It was a scary scene last night as hundreds of people were suddenly forced from their homes as a dike gave way and the waters of the Lac des Deux Montagnes came flooding in, right as many people were having dinner, not expecting the sudden influx of water. That same dike withstood the pressure back in 2017, but not this time. Around 10pm, the worst areas were covered in 3 to 5 feet of water.
The area affected spans roughly 4 kilometers long by about a half-kilometer wide. 200 police officers are on the scene, aided by members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Authorities are also working on creating a gravel barrier in an effort to isolate the flooded area between 23rd and 29th Avenue. According to Radio Canada, this will hopefully allow authorities to starting pumping out water at the extremities.
For now, the evacuees will be housed at the Olympia Arena in Deux-Montagnes. There’s currently a boil-water advisory in effect there, and residents are being advised to avoid using their toilets over concern of backflow until further notice. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported thus far.
This story will be updated...
