Gatineau preparing for flooding for 3rd time in 6 years

Officials are once again preparing for flooding in Gatineau, Que., with several parts of the city now at risk.

The city was notified about rapidly rising water levels in theBaskatong Reservoir by civil security officials the day prior, MayorFrance Blisle said at a press conference Monday.

"We received 130 millimetres of water in 10 days. Usually, over the same period, we only receive 80 millimetres," she told reporters in French.

"High temperaturesand heavy snow melt in the northern part of the watershed are increasing the levels," she said, adding water in the reservoir has risen quickerthanofficials initially anticipated.

"The water needs to be released gradually from the reservoirto avoidany mechanical damage."

Those living on the edge of the Gatineau River along Saint-Louis and Jacques-Cartier streets should remainon high alert, the city said in a noticesharedMonday night.

Residents will be able to start picking up sandbags at a handful oflocationsas of noon Tuesday.

A few other neighbourhoods are at a moderate flood risk, the city says, includingthe area south of Saint-Sauveur Streetbetween Saint-Patrice and Sanscartier streets, among a handful of other streets that line the river.

"The most at risk sector is along the mouth of the GatineauRiverandOttawa River,"said Denis Doucet, the city's emergency measures coordinator.

An emergency co-ordination centre has since been set up in the city.

Reliving the same nightmare

It's thethird time in six years that the city has been at risk of floods, with major flooding in 2017 and 2019.

• Transformed by disaster: Gatineau, before and after devastating 2019 flood

ForBlisle, it'll be her first time dealing with a natural disaster since being elected in November 2021. She said she'strying to remain optimistic.

"I want to remind citizens that we, unfortunately, have experience with this. You will see us in your streets, especially alongCartierStreet and in certain streets inPointe-Gatineau. We will be visiting places that have been affected in the past," she said.

Officials in the Outaouaisregion outside of Gatineau have been on the alert sinceFriday, when the watersof the Gatineau River there reachedcritical levels.

The rising waters prompted theevacuation of the Foyer Pre-Guinard long-term care home, where 68 residents live, the same day.

The facility sits on the Dsert River, an offshoot of the Gatineau River. An anti-flood dike has been built around it.