Floods ravage Quebec, man and child swept away

Authorities in the Canadian province of Quebec continued to grapple with heavy flooding on Monday as swelling rivers caused untold damage to homes and buildings and a man was swept away with his child in eastern Quebec.

The government in Montreal, the province's largest city, has declared a state of emergency and schools and official buildings remain closed in many parts of Quebec.

Police in the eastern Gaspe region reported that they were searching for a man and child who disappeared into the rising waters late on Sunday. The two were in the car with the toddler's mother when the sudden flooding forced their vehicle to swerve.

The tide quickly caused the car to flip over, and while the woman was able to grab a branch for safety the other two were not so lucky. Authorities said the pair were still missing on Monday, and that they would send divers to look for them once conditions improved.

The floodwaters, the worst in decades, were expected to peak on Monday afternoon, said Quebec Public Safety Minister Martin Coiteux. The regional Red Cross has also asked for donations as it struggles to provided emergency aid to the more than 1,500 Quebecois displaced by the deluge that has also affected parts of eastern Ontario.

Ottawa deployed some 1,600 troops to deal with the aftermath of the disaster, and even Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on hand Sunday to put down sandbags in some affected communities.

es/kms (AFP, Reuters)