The stench became unbearable for Nydia Ceron after the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby’s torrential and historic downpour flooded her basement.
The 65-year-old lives alone in the Montreal district of Pierrefonds-Roxboro. The flood devastated the lower floor of her house and destroyed many items; a bed, a sofa and memorabilia are all lost.
“She was waiting for a response from her insurance company, but no one contacted her,” said neighbor Alma Williams.
“And I know she had sewage in her basement, and that’s not healthy for her, especially at her age. So I said, let me see what I can do for her.”
The main problem is that there are signs of black mold in Ceron’s flooded basement. Local authorities are unsure if it is safe for her to continue living in her home.
Pierrefonds-Roxboro City Councilor Benoit Langevin is in charge of the volunteers who are filling the gap after the area was hit by Debby’s downpour.
They are doing their best to help vulnerable and elderly flood victims. Langevin has fielded calls from seniors, caregivers, people with disabilities and pregnant women who need help.
“I’ve been in houses where your eyes burn when you put something in them,” Langevin said.
A flood-damaged house in Pierrefonds-Roxboro on Montreal’s West Island on August 14, 2014. The area was hit hard by flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby.
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Ceron is one of many people the volunteers are helping after her neighbor asked for help. She said she didn’t expect them to come so quickly.
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“I’m so happy to see her,” Ceron said.
By Wednesday, volunteers had been in 56 homes in the district. Residents with soaked basements are confronted with “quite intense” smells, according to Langevin.
“As the day progresses, it becomes more uncomfortable and many people are confused about what the next step is,” Langevin said.
“You have to support communities like ours”
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Canadian couple finally wants to move back into flooded apartment. Then came Debby
The remnants of Tropical Storm Debby have caused extensive damage in Quebec. Thousands of homes were flooded and roads washed away. At the peak of the storm on Friday evening, more than 550,000 households were without power. In some areas, up to 200 millimeters of rain fell within 24 hours.
Some parts of Montreal received up to 173 millimetres of rain, according to Environment Canada. In Pierrefonds-Roxboro, the devastation is visible from street to street, where discarded and contaminated items have been dumped on the side of the road.
While cleanup efforts continue, Pierrefonds-Roxboro Borough Mayor Jim Beis said the volunteer team and local services cannot do it alone.
Since the flood, the 311 emergency number has been inundated with calls and the fire department is overwhelmed.
They can’t keep up and Beis wonders where the city of Montreal was during the crisis.
“Number 1: We need to be present in the different communities,” Beis said in an interview on Wednesday. “Number 2: We need to declare a state of emergency so that we can use the different resources available. But we also need to involve the Red Cross to provide temporary shelter to people who may be living in dangerous areas and are stranded.”
When Global News contacted Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante’s office, a spokesperson referred to the mayor’s response on Tuesday. Plante defended the city’s response to the flooding earlier in the week and said her administration is working to create better anti-flooding infrastructure.
The city will “continue to do everything in its power” to support the victims of the floods, Plante said.
“If there are Montrealers who would have liked to have me there, I’m sorry,” she said. “But that doesn’t show disinterest, because actions speak for themselves.”
The mayor of Pierrefonds-Roxboro also criticized the province’s program to provide financial assistance to flood victims, saying it was complicated and unclear. The Quebec government needs to help more, he said.
“You have to get involved,” Beis said. “You have to support communities like ours – not for me or my council, but for the citizens.”
On Thursday, Quebec Prime Minister François Legault defended himself, saying he had not visited the flood-affected communities until almost a week after Debby’s last breath in the province.
Legault indicated that he may expand eligibility for government assistance to people whose homes were damaged by flooding.
— with files from The Canadian Press
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
