A huge Montreal water leak has left thousands without power and hundreds of homes flooded
A major water main break below the Jacques Cartier Bridge has been causing serious disruptions in Montreal since early Friday morning. Just one week after torrential rains caused by Tropical Storm Debby wreaked havoc on the city, Montrealers are once again facing similar difficulties: flooding and power outages.
At the time this article was written, 14,048 households were without power in Montreal, many of them in the area of the water leak at the intersections of rue Sainte-Catherine Est and avenue de Lorimier.
A spokesperson for the City of Montreal told Narcity Québec that about a hundred homes have been flooded, causing several residents to be evacuated.
For the moment, no boil water advisory has been issued. However, the City recommended avoiding drinking the water as a precautionary measure.
At a press briefing, the City of Montreal provided an update during which Mayor Valérie Plante said "the situation is basically under control." She confirmed that the geyser, which was shooting water some 20 metres into the air this morning, has diminished in height and that there is less water on the streets.
Still, the area should be avoided, as it could be several hours before the water returns to normal and several Société de transport de Montréal (STM) bus lines have been diverted due to this incident.
A spokesperson for the City administration said the pipe is "of a very large diameter" and that the four valves must be closed in a certain order. "That's why it's taking so long to close the pipe," explained Chantal Morissette, director of the City of Montreal's water department.
According to Mayor Plante, several events have put pressure on the water system in the Ville-Marie borough, including heavy downpours that occurred two years ago. Note that this event is not related to last week's rainstorm.
In the event of flooding or equipment breakdowns near you, Hydro-Québec reminded people last Friday to stay away from fallen wires or objects in contact with the power grid.
Here are a few Hydro-Québec safety tips to follow:
"We invite people to call 911 to secure the premises. In the event of flooding, if the water has not yet begun to come into the basement, turn off the power throughout the house to avoid any danger of electrocution or fire. To do this, make sure you're not standing on a wet floor or leaning against a metal object. Turn off the main switch. If water starts to flood the basement, don't touch anything! Immediately call Hydro-Québec at 1 800 790-2424 to have service interrupted at the meter or pole."
To keep tabs on power outages, consult Hydro's service interruptions report.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
This story was adapted from the articles "Fuite d'eau: des milliers de Montréalais sans électricité et des centaines de foyers inondés," and "Méga fuite d'eau à Montréal: « La situation est somme toute sous contrôle », dit la mairesse," which were originally published on Narcity Québec by Izabelle Bee and Josianne Desjardins.
