Major Flooding Near Jacques-Cartier Bridge After Break

Montreal experienced major flooding due to a water main break near the Jacques-Cartier Bridge on early Friday mornings. The incident occurred on René-Lévesque Blvd., close east of de Lorimier Ave. around 5:45 a.m. By that time, high-pressure torrents of waters were already shooting into the sky and flooding local streets and infrastructure. The deluge reached approximately 100 residences, and many dozens of police officers had to be dispatched to evacuate people from their cars and homes.

Montreal has responded to the flooding with a preventive boil-water advisory for the boroughs of Mercier—Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Rivière-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles, advising the residents to boil water before use.

Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montreal, in her tweet, reports that “emergency services are on site and managing the situation. No injuries. The situation is under control but not resolved. Please follow the instructions issued by the authorities”. The response to the catastrophe is still unspooling, yet the dependability of water in Montreal is reasserted, reports Plante. The area surrounding Jacques-Cartier Bridge was sealed off. As of now, there are over 30 fire trucks on the sight of flooding along with other emergency services. The city has launched reception centers and is assessing the extent of structural damages to the area to ensure that people can return to their homes safely. The tubing was flooded amid otherwise clear weather, which means the water main break incident is most likely not related to precipitation.