Floods in Duberger–Les Saules : a race against the clock by Saturday, said Labeaume

Photo Stevens LeBlanc
All hopes are now placed on the shovel-frog to free up the ice jam that is causing flooding in the area Duberger–Les Saules.

Stephanie Martin

Wednesday, January 17, 2018 11:37

UPDATE
Wednesday, January 17, 2018 11:56

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The work to free up the ice jam on the Saint-Charles river, have not yielded the expected results, late mayor Régis Labeaume, who speaks now of a “race against time” before the next rains expected Saturday.

• READ ALSO : Floods : the efforts do not stop in Duberger–Les Saules

“It remains roughly 60 % of the jam to clear. It does not clean as one would have hoped on the rue Grandbois, ” said the mayor Wednesday morning. Despite all efforts, the water has not decreased significantly since yesterday. “It is our disappointment. It is not going down fast enough. “

Photo Simon Clark

“At the end of the week, it is Saturday it is raining. The idea is that before Saturday, we can all do the job. If it rains Saturday, we will see in the lac-Saint-Charles, maybe we will not have the choice of opening the floodgates “, considers Mr. Labeaume. “It is a race against the clock. “

All hopes are now placed on the shovel-frog to free up the ice jam that is causing flooding in the area Duberger–Les Saules. The equipment arrived this morning in New Brunswick and is already at work. It will be in service ” day and night “, assures the City.

The invoice will be salty, sees Mr. Labeaume, but the City did not hesitate, despite the costs. The mayor has also used his special power that allows him to enter into a contract without tender, in case of emergency. The rental of the shovel cost at least 585 $ per hour, in addition to the 13 000 $ that it cost to move up to Quebec.

“In these situations, you do what you have to do and you ramasses the bill at the end “, has dropped Mr. Labeaume.

In the meantime, the people of the City visit the houses, in the presence of police officers, employees of Hydro-Québec, electricians, locksmiths and préventionnistes health.

“We install the pumps. We made the most of it. “It is too early to talk about total losses, the news is not very encouraging. The basements are all achieved and some of the houses, the ground floor also. “It can go up to a total loss, but there was no data present “, argued the deputy director-general neighbourhood Services at the City, Alain Tardif.