Montreal Just Declared A State Of Emergency Because Of Flooding

The city of Montreal has declared a state of emergency because of flooding, according to mayor Valérie Plante.

"The [city] decrees the state of emergency to support the related cities and districts affected by the floods. Even if the city is in control of the situation, with the rain and the increase in anticipated flows, the level of intervention needs to be raised," the mayor wrote in a Twitter post.

"Our teams are mobilized and in action in the field. The number of evacuations is currently limited, but we expect the worst within 48 hours. This state of emergency gives us full powers to act and allows us to avoid emergency evacuations," she continued.

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TL;DR The city of Montreal has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of heavy rain and flooding this weekend.

This announcement comes after several other municipalities in Quebec have declared state of emergency in the last week to combat high water levels. The federal government also mobilized emergency resources, including the army, to aid in relief and public security efforts.

The Montreal Police Department tweeted out photos of its officers work to ensure the safety of residents.

Water levels are also beginning to threaten public infrastructure. Yesterday, Quebec police evacuated residents from the Rouge River valley in Outaouais after an assessment that a Hydro Québec dam was in danger of failing.

See Urgence Quebec's list of flooding "tips and safety instructions" here.

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.