Nearly 150,000 homes in Montreal faced a boil water advisory after a water main break led to a geyser erupting, causing streets to flood, traffic to halt, and residents to evacuate flooded buildings. The incident occurred in a densely populated area east of downtown near the Jacques Cartier Bridge.

Residents were awakened by firefighters around 6 a.m. to evacuate their homes due to the risk of flooding from the broken water main. Witnesses described a wall of water reaching 10 meters high that flooded the neighborhood, with residents navigating through the water streaming down streets and pooling at intersections for about five and a half hours.

Mayor Valérie Plante reported that by 11:45 a.m., the situation was deemed under control, with water services managing to reduce the pressure in the water main by closing a valve. Despite this, a boil-water advisory was issued for a significant portion of the island’s northeastern area. The water main responsible for the flooding was a pipe over two meters wide that was installed in 1985.

Residents shared their experiences, with one individual, Lyman Zhu, describing waking up to a noise resembling heavy rain and witnessing a massive wall of water outside his window. Another resident, Maxime Carignan Chagnon, stated that the rushing water lasted approximately two hours, causing significant flooding in basements, with some residents reporting up to two feet of water accumulation.

The city of Montreal dealt with the aftermath of the water main break, taking measures to control the situation and ensure the safety and well-being of affected residents.