Communities across Quebec were assessing the extent of the damage on Saturday after the remnants of Hurricane Debby swept through the province, triggering record-breaking rainfall, widespread flooding and prolonged power outages for hundreds of thousands of residents.
Nearly half a million customers were left without electricity at the height of the storm on Friday evening as torrential rain lashed large swaths of the province. By late Saturday afternoon, power had been restored to many areas, but more than 54,000 customers were still in the dark, according to utility officials.
The heaviest impact was felt in Montreal and surrounding regions, where an extraordinary volume of rain fell in a matter of hours. More than 140 millimetres of rain soaked the Island of Montreal, washing out roads, flooding basements and overwhelming drainage systems. In the city’s western tip, rainfall reached up to 173 millimetres, while downtown Montreal recorded 145 millimetres — both figures shattering the previous single-day rainfall record of 102.8 millimetres set in November 1996. The totals also exceeded Montreal’s average rainfall for the entire month of August.
The storm’s destructive force extended well beyond the metropolis. In the Lanaudière region, the municipality of Lanoraie was drenched with an exceptional 221 millimetres of rain, among the highest totals recorded in the province.
Provincial police confirmed they are searching for a pedestrian in his 80s who is feared to have been swept into the Batiscan River in the Mauricie region late Friday night. The incident occurred in Notre-Dame-de-Montauban after a nearby roadway collapsed due to the heavy rain. Emergency services were called to the scene around 11:30 p.m., but authorities say the area remains inaccessible and unsafe.
“Since it’s impossible for police officers to search the riverbanks, drones are being used to detect any element that could help us locate the missing individual,” said police spokesperson Camille Savoie. A helicopter was also deployed to assist in the search, which continued into Saturday afternoon.
The Quebec Ministry of Public Security reported that at least 43 municipalities were affected by the storm, with 220 homes flooded. The Centre-du-Québec, Lanaudière and Mauricie regions suffered the most severe impacts, including several landslides. About 300 people were evacuated from their homes, while another 1,300 residents remain stranded due to damaged or impassable roads.
“They’re still in their homes, but the roads don’t allow access,” said Denis Bélanger, spokesperson for the ministry. He urged residents to avoid non-essential travel in the affected areas and to remain vigilant for signs of landslides, which should be reported immediately to local authorities.
Environment Canada meteorologist Gregory Yang said the worst of the storm has now passed. The remaining system is lingering over Anticosti Island in the Côte-Nord region and moving eastward, with only 10 to 15 millimetres of additional rain expected.
“This was a historic event,” Yang said, noting that the rainfall was unprecedented not only for Montreal but also for surrounding regions such as the Laurentians. “It’s very significant.”
The Quebec Ministry of Transport said the storm caused major damage to several roadways, particularly in the Lanaudière and Mauricie regions. Outside the province, the effects of the storm were also felt in eastern Ontario and New Brunswick. The City of Ottawa reported severe damage to roads in the West Carleton and Kanata neighbourhoods, while communities such as Summerstown, Kinburn, Cornwall and Ottawa recorded significant rainfall totals.
In New Brunswick, Fredericton received 57.8 millimetres of rain as the storm tracked east. While additional showers were forecast for Saturday, meteorologists said they were not expected to reach the intensity seen in Quebec.
As cleanup and recovery efforts continue, provincial authorities are reminding residents to exercise caution and remain alert as communities work to recover from one of the most intense rainfall events in Quebec’s recent history.
