More than 80 soldiers with the Canadian Armed Forces are in the Ottawa Valley; members of the military in boats and checking on individual residents with waters rising.
Nancy Lacroix’s family cottage is underwater; one small pump in the basement is struggling to keep it from flooding.
“Never in a million years did I think the water would get here, this high,” said Lacroix.“This has been our family cottage for 50 years and now the devastation around this area is heartbreaking for everybody.”
Debris is everywhere along the Ottawa River; where sheds, decks, and docks liter the waterway.
We've battled weather, the water, contamination in the water,” said MCpl. Nicholas Leblanc of the Canadian Armed Forces out of Peterborough. “Today the challenge we've been facing is waves; waves damage sandbag walls so we've trying to reinforce these walls for these waterfront properties.”
For those living on the river in the Laurentian Valley, troops are arriving just in time.
“We'd be in big trouble they’re expecting high winds from the east tomorrow and that would be devastating here.”
Water levels rose another 2 inches Saturday night. Officials believe close to 50 homes and cottages are at risk of being washed out.
Firefighters and members of the Ministry of Natural Resources were on hand pumping water out; giving exhausted residents a moment to breathe.
“It's a hard pill to swallow this time of year; but who knows when it's going to stop rising.” said Steve Beauchamp of the Laurentian Valley Fire Department.
