Maria, Que. declares state of emergency amid snow, floods
Evacuations of 2 streets is strongly recommended but not mandatory
UPDATED: Jan. 15, 2024: The state of emergency has ended in Maria, Que.
The municipality of Maria, Que., in the Gaspésie region declared a state of emergency early Saturday afternoon due to strong winds and high tides that could lead to coastal flooding.
Residents of des Tournepierres and des Pluviers streets, which are most at risk, were given voluntary evacuation notices.
Firefighters and police officers met with affected citizens to inform them of the notice. The community centre is open to citizens in need, and transportation is available.
This is the second state of emergency declared in Maria in less than a week. Almost a metre of water accumulated on Rue des Tournepierres due to heavy coastal surges Wednesday.
Although people aren't being forced to depart, Maria's mayor, Jean-Claude Landry, is urging residents at risk to leave their properties.
"We're asking people to co-operate, because we wouldn't want people not to get out," said Landry.
As a precautionary measure, the municipality cut off sewer services for 48 hours.
'You have to be realistic'
The most vulnerable homes are built on a sand spit in the delta of the Rivière Verte, northeast of the municipality.
Coastal flooding there is common during high tides.
"Having your coffee in front of the Baie-des-Chaleurs, when it's calm, is wonderful. And I understand people [wanting to stay], except that at some point there are risks and you have to be realistic," said Landry.
Landry said discussions with public safety officials are ongoing.
Last November, at an information meeting attended by 70 people, the mayor estimated that a third of the residents present were considering leaving the area and taking advantage of financial assistance from Quebec City to relocate.
Environment Canada is forecasting up to 30 centimetres of snow for Baie-des-Chaleurs, the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula and Murdochville on Saturday. Weather conditions are expected to improve later tonight.
Gusts of up to 90 km/h are expected in the Magdalen Islands on Saturday night.
With files from Radio-Canada