Flooding
In Québec, floods are the most frequently occurring natural disasters. They are caused, among others, by thawing that swells rivers or by weather conditions (rain, wind, etc.) that directly affect the level and flow of watercourses.
You can limit flood hazards by taking certain steps:
Be prepared
If your home is near a water body or a watercourse, find out from your municipality about the flood hazard in your area and the plans and by-laws in force.
Have an emergency kit on hand.
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Follow prevention tips in the event of a flood threat
When the flood hazard is high, monitor the level and flow of watercourses (in French only) in your area.
Take the following precautions if there is an imminent threat of flooding:
- move your valuables to an upper floor;
- put chemical or harmful products such as insecticides and used oil residues in a safe place, out of children’s reach;
- block sewers in the basement to avoid backflow, in the absence of an anti-backflow valve (device that prevents the sewage from an overloaded main sewer line from backing up into the basement);
- plug the floor drain in the basement to reduce the amount of water that may come up through the drainpipe;
- place bags of sand and membranes (PDF 83 kB, 1 page) in front of each entrance and opening (doors, garage and coping) if the municipality advises you to do so;
- check road conditions by consulting Québec 511 Info Transports or calling 511.
If necessary, have Hydro-Québec cut the power. Contact Hydro-Québec at 1 800 790 2424.
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Take action during a flood
In the event of flooding:
- cut the power supply to prevent electrocution or fire hazards. Make sure you are standing on a dry surface when you do so;
- observe safety rules during a power outage;
- turn off the main gas inlet;
- turn off the valves on propane bottles and tanks, which must be secured to a fixed object to prevent them from floating away;
- secure all bulky objects that are outdoors and could be carried off by the water, posing a threat to others;
- avoid driving on flooded roads;
- abandon your vehicle if the water level causes the engine to stall, to avoid being swept away.
Promptly inform the authorities of any hazardous situation, and consult the media in your area for status reports and the procedures to follow.
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Evacuate your home
If the authorities require you to do so or if you feel that your safety is jeopardized, evacuate your home
Although this is a difficult decision to make, it will protect you from underestimated hazards and allow you to receive assistance and support services that would otherwise be unavailable.
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Return to your home after official authorization
You may return to your home once informed by the authorities that you may do so.
Follow certain instructions after a flood
For a safe return to normal, have specialists inspect electrical installations and heating appliances before turning them on.
If, in the meantime, you must use temporary electrical installations and backup heating, do so carefully.
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Find out if your water is drinkable
After a flood, you must test your water to make sure it is safe. Observe the safety rules if the drinking water is contaminated
Protect yourself against tetanus
Before beginning the clean-up, protect yourself against tetanus by getting vaccinated. This is recommended for flood victims, their relatives, and volunteers who may be injured while working in previously flooded areas.
To maintain adequate protection, it is recommended that you get vaccinated against tetanus every ten years. For more information, call Info-Santé at 811.
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Protect yourself against infections and mould
Do the following for the duration of the clean-up (yard and house):
- wear a mask (if you are indoors), rubber gloves and rubber boots;
- avoid all contact between the skin, the eyes or the mouth and dirty water and materials;
- do not expose open wounds or cuts to contaminated water or surfaces;
- wash your hands regularly with clean water;
- change clean-up clothes every day and wash them separately from other clothes;
- avoid using bleach with other cleaning products, as this may cause toxic fumes.
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Clean your house
If your house was flooded, do the following once the water has receded:
- determine which objects must be cleaned by experts;
- throw away any material that cannot be properly cleaned (carpets, insulation, gypsum wallboard, etc.) or that has stuffing that absorbed water (mattresses, cushions, etc.);
- open the walls and remove drywalling, panelling and insulation to at least 50 centimetres (20 inches) above the high-water line;
- eliminate mould (PDF 43 kB, 1 page; in French only) to prevent its growth, visible as green or black spots on the walls or detected by the odour of mould, earth or alcohol that it releases;
- replace the filters in the water heater, refrigerator and freezer, and change the insulation if it got wet;
- dry out the premises and air out the rooms to lower the level of humidity to below 50%.
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Health precautions to take
Here are more recommendations:
- sterilize young children’s games and toys and discard those that may have absorbed floodwater, even if they have dried out;
- discard medication, cosmetics and other toiletries that came into contact with floodwater;
- discard perishable and non-perishable foodstuffs that came into contact with floodwater;
- sterilize contaminated kitchen items with boiling water.
If there was a power outage, remember to check the food (in French only) in the refrigerator and freezer for spoiling.
Clean your yard
Safety measures also apply when cleaning the yard:
- avoid touching downed power lines. If you smell gas, contact a specialist;
- remove all debris from your yard;
- throw away above-ground fruits and vegetables in a garden that came into contact with floodwater;
- use a shovel to remove animal feces and place these in a durable plastic bag;
- do not use sand from dike sandbags to fill sandboxes or for any other purpose. Contact your municipality for information on disposal of the sandbags.
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Dispose of a dead animal
If you find a dead animal:
- use a shovel or a towel to pick it up;
- put the carcass in a durable plastic bag and be sure to close the bag tightly; then put it in a second plastic bag and close that bag as well;
- put the bag in a trash can that will be picked up during regular garbage collection. You may also go to a technical landfill site to dispose of it;
- clean the items you used to handle the carcass and wash your hands with warm water and soap.
If you find an animal carcass that is too big to put in a plastic bag, contact your municipality. If it is a pet that you were fond of, contact your veterinarian.
Other useful links
Procedures to follow in the event of flooding
Hydrological data
Licensed contractors
Flooding
Mould
Clean-up
General health
After a flood
