Floods in Duberger-Les Saules : impatience began to make itself felt

Photo Jean-François Desgagnés

Catherine Bouchard, and
Pierre-Paul Biron

On Tuesday 16 January 2018 14:54

UPDATE
On Tuesday 16 January 2018 14:54

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The very difficult test that live in the flood-affected people in the Saint-Charles river begins to sharpen the patience of several of them. Four days after the coup of water on Saturday, most of them have the nerves and just want to enter their residence flooded.

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The vast majority of the victims had still not been able to ascertain the extent of the damage Tuesday, four days after the evacuation. Like many neighbors, Hasni Monji saw hours of great anguish.

Photo Catherine Bouchard

Hasni Monji, who lives on the avenue Grandbois, has obtained her accreditation to gain access to her remains, but access is still prohibited.

“I don’t know the severity of the flood, how high, if my pipes are stoned and if the water has been turned off. It is a pity that we cannot return to our homes as soon as possible, ” laments the man, who has no idea as to when he will be able to see the damage. “Today, tomorrow, day after tomorrow, in two days or in three days? As soon as everything will be released, they are going to give us the OK, ” he continued.

At the corner of Knight avenue and Saint-Léandre, on Tuesday afternoon, the impatience won several victims who faced the dam police officer. While one of them has left the site by skidding the tires of his vehicle, others have dropped a few profanities.

An elderly woman, who preferred not to be named, did not hide his impatience. “We can’t wait to go home. We just want to go to see if the furnace works, but they don’t want to “, she says.

Another resident was emotional after learning that she could still not access its housing. “I live upstairs, so my housing is correct. Except that I had stored everything that I had inherited from my parents in the basement. It is on that I’ve lost everything”, said the lady, trying to repress a sob. “We don’t know anything. They don’t even want to go. It is difficult”, sighed she, stating not to have slept much in the last few days.

Photo Jean-François Desgagnés

Tour of homes

Explaining this refusal to ensure the safety of citizens, a spokesman for the police Department of the city of Quebec has even stated in the end of the day that teams were going to do a tour of the residences in the evening on Tuesday. This should help to solve some problems more urgent.

“Checks will be made with a variety of experts, such as plumbers, electricians, and firefighters who are going to look at the buildings to see what can be done. One may think in particular to the pumping of water, to minimize impacts for residents,” explains Étienne Doyon.

The operation has helped to save a young kitten who was trapped for three days in an apartment. The owner was extremely thrilled at the time to recover the animal. “It was in a basement that is flooded almost up to the ceiling. It was mounted on a shelf and the people heard it meow as he approached the building,” says the head of the psychosocial services of the CIUSSS Capitale-Nationale, Sylvie Lajoie, witness to this moment of human warmth to this precious through the sea of ice that paralyzes the area.

Photo Jean-François Desgagnés

50 000$ have already been distributed

Despite the impatience to be able to see the damage in their residence, the disaster victims have already been able to count on financial help from the government. The mla of the area, Patrick Huot, has confirmed that sums of emergency had already been transferred to thirty citizens.

“Thirty meetings were held with disaster victims and a little more than$ 50,000 have already been advanced to these people for temporary housing, clothing, and other”, stressed the liberal mp, noting that long-term aid for the renovations was organized also. “As an mla, my role will be to make sure that we are following the promises made by the ministry of public Security about this.”