Following a heavy downpour last week that caused the Ottawa River to overflow, public security officials have announced that the provincial government will offer compensation to flood victims.
Although details regarding how much would be allotted for the compensation fund have yet to be confirmed, officials have said that the government would likely cover for damages that have not been picked up by insurance companies.
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“I want to tell these people that we feel for them,” Premier Philippe Couillard said in a conference Saturday. “Public Security and the Sûreté du Québec are at work on a daily basis to make sure they are safe and that their property is safe as well.”
The overflow that came from the portion of the Ottawa River that runs west of Montreal led to severe flooding in several parts of Rigaud, Quebec. The municipality declared a state of emergency on April 20,
CBC reported.
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About 441 families were advised to vacate their homes for their safety’s sake, but 40% of those families ignored the order.
Residents in the region’s affected flood zones were urged to avoid drinking well water and to stick with consuming bottled water, as there is a risk that septic tanks could be contaminating nearby artesian wells.
CBC reported that two other Quebec municipalities next to the Ottawa River, namely Pontiac and Saint-André-Avellin, have also declared a state of emergency due to the flooding.
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