Quebec premier heads to flood-torn town in Charlevoix region

Quebec Premier François Legault will visit a town in the province's Charlevoix region hit hard in recent days by spring flooding.

Legault is expected to arrive around 9 a.m. Wednesday, in Baie-Saint-Paul, about 95 kilometres northeast of Quebec City, where he will survey the damage and meet with residents.

Severe flooding this week washed away roads and cut off access to homes across the province, forcing a half-dozen communities to declare states of emergency, according to the Quebec Public Security Department.

More than 500 people in Baie-Saint-Paul had to leave their homes after the level of the Rivière du Gouffre, which runs through the town, rose on Monday. 

Hélène Chardin, who is staying with friends after her house was evacuated, said this is the first time she's lived close enough to a river to see the effects of climate change firsthand.

"Unfortunately, I think we'll have to prepare for things of this magnitude more often," she said. 

Stéphane Gagnon, another Baie-Saint-Paul resident, said he feels discouraged after the flooding, although there is little he can do. 

"It's a bit heavy, but you have to live with it," he said. "You just have to see the damage and think of the families for whom today, material things aren't as important." 

Environment and Climate Change Canada is forecasting periods of snow in Baie-Saint-Paul, which are expected to change to rain around noon. Later today, the area could see up to two centimetres of snow and up to five millimetres of rain. Wind gusts are expected to blow between 30 km/h to 50 km/h.

The search continues for two firefighters — Christopher Lavoie and Régis Lavoie — from St-Urbain, Que., in the Charlevoix region, after they were swept away in the water while trying to rescue two local residents.

Other communities affected by flooding are in the Lanaudière and Laurentians regions, and in western Quebec.

Near the island of Montreal, the bridge between L'Île Mercier and L'Île-Bizard remains closed. 

Louis-Roch Street, which connects L'Île-Bizard to L'Île Mercier, was closed on Tuesday night for safety reasons, according to the borough of L'Île-Bizard.

The Lac des Deux Montagnes  is under watch as water levels continued to rise.