Canadian capital Ottawa declares state of emergency as waters swell
Ottawa's mayor declared a state of emergency in the Canadian capital on Thursday in anticipation of rising flood waters and heavy rains. No homes have been evacuated, but authorities expect waters along the Ottawa River to rise above levels in 2017 that saw the worst floods in Eastern Canada in half a century.
- World
- Reuters
- Published Date: 08:47 | 26 April 2019
- Modified Date: 08:47 | 26 April 2019
Rising waters are leading to further evacuations in central Canada, with the mayor of the country's capital Ottawa declaring a state of emergency, and Quebec authorities warning that a hydroelectric dam was at risk of breaking.
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency for the city in response to rising water levels along the Ottawa River and weather forecasts that called for significant rainfall on Friday.
In a statement on Twitter, Watson asked for help from the Canadian province of Ontario and the country's military.
He warned that "flood levels are currently forecasted to exceed the levels that caused significant damage to numerous properties in the city of Ottawa in 2017."
Spring flooding has killed one person and forced more than 900 people from their homes in Canada's Quebec province as of Thursday at 1 p.m., according to a government website.
Quebec's Public Security Ministry warned on Thursday that the hydroelectric dam at Bell Falls on the Rouge River in the western part of the province was at risk of failure because of rising water levels.
Quebec's provincial police said 250 people were protectively being removed from their homes as of late afternoon in case the dam breaks.