'We are resilient': Pontiac braces for 5th natural disaster since 2017

Volunteers and soldiers rushed to get sandbags into the hands of Pontiac, Que., residents Sundayas the western Quebec community braced for its fifth natural disaster since 2017.

The sandbags are being used to protect riverfront homes in the area, many of which were damaged during major flooding two years ago.

Doug Briden, a volunteer working at the Pontiac municipal building to fill and distribute sandbags, said they were filling "as many sandbags as we can."

"What we've done is we've improvised. We've set up ladders with cones in them to make filling the bags much easier," Briden explained.

"We have people down from the beachfronts coming in ... by car or truck or by trailer, and we load them with sandbags."

'We are resilient'

Pontiac Mayor Joanne Labadietold CBC Newsthe municipality is working to protect as much property as possible as waters on the Ottawa River remained high.

As of Sunday morning, river levels were just shy of the peaks they hit during the 2017 floods, with the Ottawa River Regulation Board saying the river would likely crest Sunday evening.

The flood would mark the fifth major natural disaster for the community in the past two years, in addition tothe devastating May 2017 floods, severe rainfall that fall, plus a smaller floodand a tornado in 2018.

Labadiesaid theadvantage this time is that they started preparations ahead of the flooding, instead of trying to play catch-up.

The town has already distributed 60,000 sandbags, Labadie said more than were handed out in all of 2017.

Labadiesaid she worries about residents and municipal staff as theystruggle withthe mounting stress of the disasters.

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"The people who live in these communities who are being hit by one disaster after another ... it has a toll on our citizens. And of course,yesterday [there was]the tragic collision," Labadie said.

"Our community is in mourning, but we are resilient. And will continue to protect our community."

Canadian Forces on scene

Soldiers arrived Sunday to builda dike around the municipal pumping station, which serves between 500 and 600 people in the region.

The dike is designedto protect the residents' drinking water, said Canadian Forces Capt. Vincent Laderoute.

"The town asked for some help for the pump station. So we built a wall of sandbags," saidLaderoute.

"This pump station is for the wholetown ... if the water gets inside, they won't have potable water."

The soldiers will focus on protecting municipal property and infrastructure, allowing volunteers to work to protect private homes.