Champlain Township declares state of emergency over flooding

Residents of eastern Ontario's Champlain Township have been told not to drink or use water from wells or the Ottawa River, following a fuel spill that happened only hours after the mayor declared a state of emergency.

Mayor Gary Barton told CBC News Sunday afternoon that he was declaring an emergency after about 20 to 30 homes in the township were eithersurrounded or endangered by flooding.

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"We have a lot of waterfront along the Ottawa River. Our information is the river's going to peak tomorrow," Barton said.

"We have a large crew of volunteers filling sandbags right now, and we are in the process of declaring a state of emergency so that we can get all the assistance that we possibly can for our township."

Sunday night spill

At around 9:30 p.m., the township issued a media release announcing that fuel had spilled into the river and that people who smelled fuel in their water should leave their homes.

One hour later, they updated that release to urgeanyone in L'Orignal, Ont., who lives on Wharf, Marston, Peter and Dufour streetsor on River Laneto immediately find new shelter.

The township has now opened a reception centre at Ecole St-Jean-Baptiste in L'Orignal,one of the local communities hardest hit by flooding.

The township did not say where or how the fuel spill happened.

Help from outside communities

Rising waters were threatening multiple homes near the L'Orignal shoreline Sunday morning, and two streets along the waterfront have since been closed.

Two people were evacuated with help from the Red Cross, the township said in a statement Sunday evening.

Volunteer firefighters have been delivering sandbags to locations throughout the township, Barton said, and in some cases helping the people put them in place.

The township has also been receiving help from Hawkesbury and North Glengarry, he added.

Barton said that local MPFrancis Drouinwould be delivering about 4,000 more sandbags Sunday afternoon.

Residents who need further assistance can call the township's main line at 613-678-3003, he said.