Families were packing up their belongings Wednesday after they were ordered to permanently evacuate their homes due to the risk of a landslide in Gatineau, Que.

"Monday night I had a house, and (now) I don't have any more house," evacuated resident Daniel Moreau told CTV News.

The evacuation order was issued Wednesday based on recommendations from the Quebec Transportation Ministry after a large crack was found on a hillside behind several homes on Lafrance Street over the weekend. A temporary evacuation order had been in effect following the discovery of the crack.

Worse than expected

Quebec officials say the hill is more unstable than originally expected and is at risk of completely collapsing.

"It could just slide down the slope and this could happen anytime. It could be happening now, it could happen in five years, it could never happen," said Alain d'Entremont of the City of Gatineau.

Quebec has about 100 landslides every year and city officials say they don't want residents to be at risk.

Not warned of the threat

Residents forced to leave their homes, however, say they weren't warned of the landslide threat when they moved into the new neighbourhood a few years ago.

Caroline Viau told CTV News her family never would have bought a house in the area if they had known about potential landslides.

Others, like Moreau, say they just can't understand how this happened: "I don't know why they make the road if we can't live in the house."

City officials, however, told CTV News they were aware of the landslide risk all along.

"The City knew -- the City knows that that area is at risk," said d'Entremont.

Evacuated residents say they're now considering filing a lawsuit as a result of the situation.

Financial assistance

The homeowners, though, won't walk away empty-handed. The City of Gatineau and the provincial government are currently working on a financial assistance plan for the six families being evacuated. That plan could even include moving their homes from the landslide-ridden area.

In the meantime, the Red Cross says it will provide hotel rooms for the evacuated families for a couple of days.

With a report from CTV's Aliya Jiwan