Advertisement

Quebec landslide washes away cottages in Lac-des-Seize-Îles

Two cottages and four boathouses were washed into a lake in one of two landslides in Quebec's Laurentians region today.

Quebec provincial police say they believe no one was injured, and emergency officials are at the site inspecting the damage.

Police Const. Gino Paré said emergency officials were alerted at 12:20 p.m. ET to the incident in Lac-des-Seize-Îles, about 100 kilometres northwest of Montreal.

"Police and firefighters are on site to confirm that there was nobody in the houses," he said. "It appears that they're not being lived in."

Environment Canada issued a rainfall warning for the Laurentians region Monday afternoon, calling for heavy rainfall at times.

Water levels were already on the rise Monday due to melting snow from record-breaking high temperatures of more than 22 C.

On Tuesday, more than 20 millimetres of rain fell on the region, washing away roads and causing flooding in many parts of southwestern Quebec.

Emergency workers in Lac-des-Seize-Îles are having trouble getting to the landslide because the access road has been washed away.

Eight people were removed from five nearby residences because of the continued risk.

Another two people have been ordered to stay inside their homes because the ground is too unstable.

Officials say they have plenty of food and water and are safe inside. A helicopter may be sent to pick them up tomorrow.

Geologists are still evaluating the land to see if there are more risks for landslides, which are not common in the area.

"I've been working in this area for 20 years and, to my knowledge, I've never heard of landslides," Paré said.

It was the second landslide in the area reported Tuesday.

About two hours earlier, a smaller landslide sent mud and earth onto a road in Saint-Adolphe-d'Howard, about 20 kilometres away.