Saguenay Fjord Park Director Remembers Deadly Landslide

A tragedy took place in the Saguenay Fjord National Park on the 1st^is July 2023. Nature was unleashed, snatching the lives of two people, who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The tragic event is still fresh in the memory of the park director, Jérôme Perrin-Gouron.

July 1st, I was in the office and at 12h, before going to eat, I looked at the weather report, then there was nothing coming. AT 12h30, it started to rain and then the length of the thing, there, it was unexpected, completely “,”text”:”I remember very well. I was here on July 1st, I was at the office and at 12 o’clock, before going to eat, I looked at the weather report, and then there was nothing coming. At 12:30, it started to rain and then the length of the thing, there, it was unexpected, completely “}}”>I remember very well. I was here on the 1st^is July, I was at the office and at 12 o’clock, before going to eat, I looked at the weather report, and then there was nothing coming. At 12:30, it started to rain and then the length of it, there, it was unexpected, completelyremembers Jérôme Perrin-Gouron.

He has a clear memory of the minutes leading up to the deadly mudslide. In fact, numerous landslides occurred in several locations throughout the park that day. Environment Canada estimates that 130 millimeters of rain fell in this area.

For us, it started more at the entrance to the park. […] a first small slide, with a spruce tree that fell and it was from there that we closed the entrance to the parkhe says.

Events subsequently unfolded very quickly.

The park rangers who were at the campground, on their way back down, came across a tree across. In fact, just after the campground, they wanted to open the road for customers who were coming back up at the same time and that’s when the tragedy happened. I heard my park ranger on the radio asking for an emergency call to 911.explains Jérôme Perrin-Gouron.

It sure seems unrealistic. You feel like you’re in a movie and then you say, “No, that’s not possible, that can’t happen.”

Evacuations

Five of its employees lent a hand to the emergency services to rescue Jean-Philippe Caty, who was seriously injured in this tragedy.

There are 66 of us employees, all 66 of us were affected by what happened, whether they were present or not.believes the director of the Park. I think these 5 were even more so.

In addition to searching for the two people swept away by one of the landslides, it was also necessary to evacuate the park’s customers. About 150 people were transported to safety by boat and the 85 customers trapped at the campsite were evacuated by helicopter the next day.

Traces still visible

The scars left by the violent storm cell are still visible a year later. Fallen trees and ripped-away cliffs are testament to the power of the storm that hit the national park.

Only one hiking trail, that of Méandres, was damaged. However, certain sections of the road remain damaged and traffic still alternates there.

What we did last year, the five weeks we were closed following July 1st […] these are emergency works. Then, we made the road safe to absolutely be able to restore access to the park, but we certainly did not refurbish the road. […] This year, in fact, it’s the whole engineering side that’s starting because the road has been affected in different ways.explains Jérôme Perrin-Gouron.

The guardrail located near where the tragedy occurred has still not been replaced.

The park’s general manager believes that his team intervened adequately last year.

July 1st, than after. “,”text”:”There are always little things to correct, always, whatever the event, even if it’s picking up someone who simply sprained an ankle on the trail. […] Honestly, I am very proud of what my teams have done, both on July 1st and after. “}}”>There are always little things to correct, always, whatever the event, even if it’s going to pick up someone who has simply sprained an ankle on the trail. […] Honestly, I am very proud of what my teams have done, both on the 1^is July, until after.

The reality of climate change

Jérôme Perrin-Gouron expects that significant weather phenomena will become more severe and more frequent in the coming years.

It’s a direct effect of climate change, I’m convinced of it. And it’s certain that it’s going to become more and more part of everyday life, unfortunately. It’s always very targeted.he mentions.

He hopes that Rivière-Éternité will not be hit a second time, but he has no illusions. He believes that things could happen again. Like all his staff, he is now on his guard when the rain starts to fall.

: \”I close route 30minutes\”. Better shut up 30minutes for nothing and wasting 30minutes to everyone [perdre] two lives”,”text”:”I wouldn’t want it today, if there is a big storm, for one of my managers who is on duty to say: \”I’m closing the road for 30 minutes\”. Better to shut up for 30 minutes for nothing and make everyone waste 30 minutes than [perdre] two lives”}}”>I wouldn’t blame one of my managers on duty today, if there’s a big storm, for saying, “I’m closing the road for 30 minutes.” It’s better to close it for 30 minutes for nothing and make everyone waste 30 minutes than [perdre] two lives he concluded.