More rain heightens flood concerns in Montreal

The swollen St. Lawrence River is flooding parks close to the shoreline on L'Ile Perrot Wednesday, May 3. (ValleyWeather Photo) 

More rain is forecast for Montreal and points north and west of city over the next 36 hours. Another potent storm system is forecast to arrive early Friday and linger well into next week. Rainfall warnings are in effect across Gatineau and eastern Ontario. Another 25 to 50mm (1 to 2 inches) of rain is possible from early Friday through Sunday. Flood warnings remain posted for southern Quebec, with water levels the highest they have been in almost 40 years. Flooding is occurring along the Ottawa River as well as Riviere-des-Prairies and the Milles Iles River. Water poured into basements and streets on Ile Mericer as well as Ile Bizzard and Pierrefonds. Ile Verte is under a mandatory evacuation. Residents of the 22 homes on the island have been told to leave. Parts of Gouin and Pierrefonds Boulevard are also suffering flooding. Flooding is also occurring on Ile Perrot and in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue as the St. Lawrence River continues to rise. So far it has been confined to the immediate shoreline, boardwalks and parks.

The foot of 34th Avenue on L'Ile Perrot late Wednesday, May 3. (ValleyWeather Photot)

Montreal Firefighters and municipal workers have been patrolling the hardest hit areas, checking on residents, offering assistance and sandbags where needed. According to Hydro Meteo, water levels will begin to stabilize or even drop slightly over the next 24 hours. Afterwards the new rainfall will begin to filter into the system with more flooding anticipated.

Above and Below: Numerous homes and roads remain flooding in the Montreal West Island Borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro. (Photo from Borough Mayor Dimitrios Jim Beis)

In Riguad, west of Montreal, over 400 homes remain flooded. That number is likely to increase as water levels along the Ottawa River climb with the new rainfall forecast.

(Photo from Borough Mayor Dimitrios Jim Beis via Facebook).