Floodwatch: 100 West Island residents on alert

Residents of Ile Mercier walk along a flooded road that connects them to Ile Bizard (April 19, 2017)

Residents of a small island in Montreal's West Island are preparing for possible evacuation.

The low bridge that connects Ile Mercier to Ile Bizard is slowly being covered in water, and could be entirely submerged in the next few days.

There are two dozen homes on the island which lies in the Riviere des Prairies between Montreal island and Ile Bizard.

Normand Marinacci, mayor of the Ile Bizard Ste. Genevieve borough, said emergency housing is available.

"It's at the arena, it's open, and it's available if ever they have to leave their home. But there's no decision taken yet if they will have to leave their home," said Marinacci.

He said some of the houses on the island are already showing signs of water infiltration, and it's likely to get worse.

"Since it's going to rain in the next few days we're ready to do something about the situation if ever we have to," said Marinacci.

Residents were last forced out of their homes during a flood in 1998.

With only one bridge connecting the small island to the rest of the world, firefighters are ready to order an evacuation if the water level rises.

"If something happens on the island and we cannot go through the bridge we're in trouble, so they want to be sure that if ever the water level goes up too much on the small bridge they will think about the possibility of asking people to come out of the island," Marinacci said.

He added that sandbags have been deployed around the bridge and other areas in order to hold off the water as long as possible.

Elsewhere in Montreal flooding has been observed near LaSalle Blvd. and near the locks in Ste. Anne de Bellevue.