GATINEAU, Quebec, June 27 (UPI) -- Cleanup began Monday in Gatineau, Quebec, for hundreds of people forced to evacuate after heavy rains flooded the area, Canadian weather experts said.
The storm started Thursday night and the resulting flood affected about 600 homes, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
Environment Canada spokesman Alain d'Entremont said about 8 inches of rain fell on Gatineau, washing out a road that was acting as a dam for an overflowing creek that then spilled into a nearby neighborhood, MetroNews Canada reported.
"Those people were notified Friday night by emergency services at around 11 p.m. to get ready to evacuate," d'Entremont said. "To pack a bag, to gather medication, find the cat cage and whatever. At 6:30 Saturday morning, the road Chemin Des Erables did break, so there was a flash flood."
With about 3 feet of water rising up in about 20 minutes, emergency crews rolled through neighborhoods, sirens wailing, warning homeowners to leave, MetroNews said.
"Pretty much everybody was able to do it, there were no injuries," d'Entremont said.
Lac Phillipe's beaches have been closed due to unsafe conditions resulting from flood waters. Engineers said it will take at least a month before the campground's main road is repaired, the CBC reported.
