People in Pierrefonds, Quebec, are cleaning up after heavy flooding. They are sorting out what they can keep and what to throw away.

The Pierrefonds-Roxboro area got 150 to 170 mm of rain in two hours on Saturday.

A resident, Stephen Lister, said the power went out and his sump pump did not work, so he could not stop the water.

The heavy rain flooded streets, put cars underwater, and damaged many homes.

Many Hydro-Quebec customers lost power. Over 500 are still without electricity, mostly in Pierrefonds.

This is not the first time the community has seen bad weather like this.

A resident, Jason Klien, said it was a catastrophe. He saw hail and then water filled his basement quickly.

Environment Canada said other parts of Montreal got 100 to 150 mm of rain.

Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada wants the province and cities to find ways to prevent flooding.

The mayor said cities need to be able to handle heavy rain. The old way of doing things will not work.

She wants cities to be like sponges, soaking up rain so it does not put pressure on infrastructure and flood homes.

The mayor plans to work with the city and province to make a plan to deal with heavy rain.

One idea is to find a way to direct water away from homes.

But the mayor said that for some homes, water could still get in and cause damage.

The water has spread everywhere. If a home has a crack in its foundation, water can seep in.

Quebec Premier Christine Frechette said the province is helping communities deal with climate change.

The premier said she is thinking of the families affected by the flooding.

Some residents feel they are not getting enough help.

A resident, Daniel Khoury, said the city is trying to help, but he needs more action from the province.

He said he knows how painful flooding can be because he experienced it in 2019.

He thinks the government should make dealing with flooding a priority and give more funding.

Residents like Stephen Lister are trying to cope with losing memories.

Lister said he lost 35 years of memories and does not know what to do.

Global News' Brayden Jagger Haynes contributed to this story.

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