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The threat of a dam failure has forced Sécurité publique Québec to warn residents around the Rouge River to "evacuate immediately."
Hydro Québec tells MTLBlog that the Chute-Bell dam was built to resist a "1000-year flood" but that the current water levels have surpassed what the dam is built to withstand.
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Here's everything we know and can surmise about what a dam failure would entail:
Homes will be hit with rising water within 45 min
Quebec police told the CBC that it will take 45 min from water to reach nearby homes if the dam fails.
Power may be affected
According to the Hydro Québec website, the company uses the dam to provide hydroelectricity. It is unclear if power supply to the surrounding region will be affected.
Hydro tells MTLBlog that they are unable to comment on the effects of a possible dam failure.
We will update this article as more information becomes available.
Water will pour from the Rouge River and into the Outaouais River
Government of QuebecHere is a map of the affected area:
The Outaouais River meets the St. Lawrence River at Montreal.
However, Hydro Québec says there will be minimal impact in downstream areas.
People who live near the damn should "avoid river, valleys and low lying areas," according to the government of Quebec.
Already, springtime flooding has inundated the area.
250 people are affected
Les policiers de la Sûreté du Québec procèdent actuellement à l'évacuation d'environ 250 citoyens du secteur des ch… https://t.co/ro7OSPBAhr— Sûreté du Québec (@Sûreté du Québec) 1556222726.0
That's according to Sûreté du Quebec, which is managing the situation.
Hydro Québec tells MTLBlog that about 50 residents are most at risk.
Stay tuned for updates.