Flooding in towns across the Canadian province of Quebec has forced hundreds of residents from their homes, and public security officials fear water levels will rise further, with forecasters expecting rain Friday, local media reported Wednesday.
Heavy rains early this week have flooded towns in several areas across the predominately French-language province, including two suburbs in the west of Quebec's largest city, Montreal.
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre on Wednesday asked people living on the tiny island suburb of Ile Mercier to leave their homes, a city spokeswoman said.
CBC/Radio Canada showed images of rescue workers rowing boats across flooded streets to help residents in the western Quebec town of Gatineau, which neighbors Canada's capital, Ottawa, Ontario. Residents of 300 homes in Gatineau were being advised to leave immediately, CBC reported.
No deaths were thought to have been caused by the floods.
