MONTREAL — Rain and record warm weather sent several southern Quebec rivers spilling over their banks on Monday, forcing residents from their homes and leading officials to close roads and cancel classes.
Municipal officials in Drummondville, Que., partway between Montreal and Quebec City, asked residents in flood zones to evacuate because of the rising St-François river, which was moving about five times its average speed.
"Faced with the continued rise in the waters of the St-François river, the Drummondville municipal civil security organization is asking all citizens living in flood zones to evacuate immediately, if they have not already done so," the municipality said on its Facebook page.
Photos posted online by the municipality showed a red car half submerged in water, and barricaded roads.
Drummondville Mayor Stéphanie Lacoste said the situation had stabilized by late afternoon, but it was too early for residents from 150 evacuated homes to return.
“We’re asking citizens to respect the evacuation order and not return home," she said in a phone interview. "We've seen that a surge of water rises quickly, so we want to make sure that no one gets trapped inside the houses."
Lacoste said municipal workers used heavy equipment last month to try to break up the ice to prevent jamming, but she said the combination of thicker-than-usual ice, a recent near-record snowfall and the warm weather over the weekend created what she called a "favourable cocktail" for flooding.
"Unfortunately, the fact that there was a lot of snow, and that the ice was thick, complicated things a bit," she said.
In Beauceville, Que., south of Quebec City, officials cancelled classes and opened an evacuation centre at the local arena after an ice jam caused the Chaudière river to surge into nearby streets. Several evacuations had taken place by 11 a.m., the city said on its website without giving details.
Officials in St-François-du-Lac, 30 kilometres northwest of Drummondville, asked residents in four sectors to evacuate as a preventive measure.
The Quebec government reported medium flooding at three of its water monitoring stations as of 4:30 p.m., as well as five instances of minor flooding and said 15 spots were under surveillance. Environment Canada said several parts of the province recorded record-high temperatures on Sunday, including 20.1 C in Beauceville and 16.4 C in Montreal.
Transport Quebec's traffic monitoring site listed flood-related road closures in the Chaudière-Appalaches, Estrie, Laurentides and Lanaudière regions. The site noted that warm temperatures and rain across the province promote "rapid melting of the snowpack and the accumulation of water on the road network," and warned of a risk of hydroplaning.
In Nicolet, Que., a water treatment facility was flooded and had to suspend operations. Residents were asked to limit their water consumption, and officials set up a distribution spot where people could pick up additional supplies with proof of residence.
Several other municipalities said Monday they were monitoring the rising water and preparing to take action if necessary.
In Yamaska, Que., northeast of Montreal, municipal officials said hovercraft were out on Lac St-Pierre and the Yamaska River to clear a path for water to flow, after ice jams left several residents isolated.
Officials in Weedon, Que., 155 kilometres south of Quebec City, urged residents to prepare for the possibility of flooding by moving their goods to higher spots in their homes, and bringing in outdoor items that could float away. The town said residents should also pack a bag of essentials and ensure vehicles are in easy-to-access locations if they need to leave their homes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2025.
Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press
