Aylmer, Gatineau Floods 2019 A Pictorial

This is a partial pictorial view of the floods in the Aylmer/Gatineau region as well as the Pontiac. Also a couple from Constance Bay. Thanks to Chantal, Sebastien, Nora , Amy, Tony and Kay and for the photos.

I have started a Go Fund me page to raise money for those without insurance.  Here is the link for those who can donate.

Anyone who wishes to help me out spread the word to those I don't have a contact with, please share the page or my blog.

https://www.gofundme.com/aylmergatineau-flood-victims-2019

 In 2017, the area experienced flooding that had not been seen since 1974.  We've had worse winters since and had no flooding.  Since 2017, some communities took the opportunity to buld berms and sand walls to hold the river back if the 1 in a 100 year flood returned.  Well, here we are 2 years later and the floods are worse then before.  The river is (right now) 2-3 feet higher than 2017, homes have been evacuated, the military has been called in to help sandbag entire neighbourhoods.

These pictures not only tell a story of sadness and desperation, but also one of people coming together to help other people they don't even know.

Communities have rallied together - the military has come, without question or hesitation to help build sand bag wall.  People with heavy equipment and truck have used their own time, fuel and manpower to build make-shift dams.

The story here is incredible - one rarely seen in this day and age.  Tired, exhausted people, working around the clock to try and save a home - or in the case of Quyon, Quebec, an entire town (if the berm doesn't hold back the rising water).

People working together - in groups or as individuals, sandbagging homes for people they don't know.

School children - taking a day off school - en masse - to fill sand bags and carry them to waiting army trucks, or private trailers.

Young kids, who should be in day care, meet army and volunteers and help out - around the clock.

Kudos go out to all these people, amazing each and everyone of them. 

I say the real heroes are those in Aylmer, Gatineau, and all throughout the Pontiac.

And a big shout out to our military men and women, who have helped with this back-breaking exercise, non-stop for days now.

Some of these photos were taken this week - since Monday.  Others were taken last weekend.  Since these were done, the water level has continued to rise an additional 2 feet in some cases.

Imagine, being on your own street, where a month ago, you got home from work, parked your car, went inside made or ate dinner and then maybe went out for drinks or coffee, and now, the only way to get in your home is by canoe... that is if you even have a home to go back to!

While flood waters rise, and people abandon their homes and vehicles, other disaster happen.  A lady in Constance Bay had her house burn down, due to what authorities think may have been an electrical fire.  Ms. Julien, (I don't know her) had been renting the home, has little or no insurance and now has no clothing or possessions to speak of. If I can get her digits I will make sure some of the funds get to her.

So you have lived all your life, worked hard, saved money, bought your dream house and paid down the mortgage and are ready to retire, maybe sell the house, use the money to travel, to help your children out, or to buy a small place.  But who will buy your home after these floods?  If anyone is interested it will be at a cut rate.

People have spent their lives planning for  these days only to have a disaster such as this, kill or damage their dreams.

Sure that sounds bad, but it's not totally horrible... unless you are in this predicament. 

Others have it worse. Many have no home insurance - as they rented the home, others could not get flood insurance after the 2017 floods came and went.  Still others have just finished repairing or renovating their homes from the past flood.

While, the situation is dire indeed, there is always room for some levity. Not the duck in this picture, this duck is living to good life - lots of water, extra fish, and some human love as residents often spend time feeding this little guy.

One of those residents is Jean Paul, who has been filling and placing sand bags around the neighbourhood for a week now.  While his house isn't flooded, he has been helping out continuously.

His next door neighbour, Rejean, - pictured below, needed to take a break after spending hours hefting sandbags onto pallets at the local filling stop.The weather turned nice for a change so he took the opportunity to catch 40 winks.

I'll leave you with a few links to check out the disaster in the making and to let you all look at the balance of these photos. Just imagine yourself in this situation.  I really don't know what I would do!

If you know people who need financial help, please have them contact me by email, or by facebook

https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/what-i-have-is-now-gone-ottawa-area-home-surrounded-by-flood-waters-catches-fire-1.4402448

https://barrie.ctvnews.ca/beyond-heartbreaking-bracebridge-house-sinks-in-flood-waters-1.4402153

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/flood-2019-constance-bay-evacuation-1.4402132

https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1106488

https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1665091