Spring flooding: 15,000 sandbags filled thanks to the residents' involvement

Gatineau, May 6, 2017. – Ville de Gatineau would like to thank residents for their involvement and remarkable generosity with flood victims. Thanks to their involvement, 22 sand trucks were used to fill sandbags up to now today. More than 1,500 volunteers came to Aréna Campeau to help with this task. At 4 p.m., they had filled some 15,000 sandbags. In all, more than 33,000 sandbags have been delivered to various distribution sites today, which raises the total to more than 128,000 bags distributed since May 1, and close to 205,000 since April 18.

Volunteering

●	It is no longer necessary to dial 311 to offer your services as a volunteer.

●	The filling of sandbags is continuing in Aréna Campeau with the volunteers on site.

●	Residents wishing to help may go to Aréna Campeau tomorrow as of 10 a.m. to fill sandbags. - It is recommended that you bring your shovel and gloves.

●	Gatineau would like to remind residents to respect the parking regulations and signage in place. - It is essential to allow the flow of traffic from trucks and emergency vehicles.

Status on streets

●	Local traffic - Rue Principale: the access road leading to the marina (from Du Prince-de-Galles Street) is now open to local traffic only.

●	Streets closed to traffic: - Jacques-Cartier Street: now closed to traffic between - Moreau and Saint-Louis streets. - Saint-François-Xavier Street: now completely closed to traffic. - Du Ruisseau Street: now closed to traffic from Lasalle Street (dead end).

Sandbag distribution

●	Flood victims are invited to get their sandbags at the designated distribution sites rather than at Aréna Campeau.

Status report

Preventive and voluntary evacuations

●	Number of homes visited by firefighters (since May 1): 1,391 - Firefighters are visiting homes more than once in the majority of cases (up to 6 visits), which brings the total of visits to more than 3,616.

●	Number of homes evacuated by Service de sécurité incendie: 260

●	Persons evacuated on a voluntary basis by Service de sécurité incendie: 466

●	Persons being looked after by the Red Cross: 461

●	Homes where gas has been shut off: 211

●	Homes where power has been shut off: close to 70

Sandbags

●	Number of bags distributed since May 1: close to 128,000

●	Number of sandbags distributed since April 18: close to 203,500

●	Number of empty bags ready to be filled: 107,000

Information to residents

●	People registered for text alerts: close to 1,800

●	Visits to the flooding webpage: close to 46,000 visits (since May 1)

Non-emergency call centre (311)

●	6,348 calls from May 1 to May 4 (11:59 p.m.)

●	496 calls on May 6 since midnight

Note
Statistics for this news release were last updated at 3 p.m. on May 6, 2017. These are the latest statistics available.

Webpage on spring flooding:

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