Quebec flooding forces evacuations as 2 firefighters remain missing

Quebec provincial police say two firefighters remain missing Tuesday morning after they were reportedly swept away by rising river waters as major spring flooding hit parts of the province.

The pair of firefighters reportedly disappeared Monday afternoon while they were attempting to assist residents whose homes were flooded on Route 138 near St-Urbain, just northeast of Quebec City. An extensive search operation is underway in the Charlevoix region.

Meanwhile, evacuations and emergency measures were ordered in the nearby community of Baie-Saint-Paul. The city says 500 people were forced to leave their homes after extensive floodwaters washed out roads and isolated houses.

The city says several streets are off-limits and schools are closed Tuesday. Residents are told to stay inside while those who had to evacuate from their homes are asked to stay away until further notice. Environment Canada said Baie-Saint-Paul received about 56 millimetres of rain by late Monday.

François Bonnardel, Quebec Public Security Minister, will visit the hard-hit region and Baie-Saint-Paul.

Heavy rain has swept across southern Quebec since the weekend. The province’s Public Security Department reported flooding and landslides closed multiple roads in the Outaouais, Laurentians and Lanaudière regions.

The municipality of St-Come, Que., in the Lanaudière region north of Montreal, also declared a state of emergency Monday and asked residents in parts of the community to evacuate.

— with files from Global News’ Annabelle Olivier and The Canadian Press

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