ST-PAUL-DE-L'ILE-AUX-NOIX - Floodwaters were rising in the Richelieu Valley again Friday due to strong winds coming from the south and heavy rain.

A storm swept over the region and showers are predicted to continue until Sunday, delivering a total of 75 mm of rain.

While the flooding is far from over, water levels are expected to slowly recede starting next week, and that has many people looking ahead to the massive clean-up ahead.

A local organization called SOS Richelieu is looking for 5,000 volunteers, with a blitz scheduled for June 11-12.

The group has been working out of a Toyota dealership in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu.

Since the earthquake in Japan, Toyota has been unable to ship some car parts. So while business is slow, they refocused.

"We got our own problem down there but our population has a bigger problem," Michel Fecteau, sales manager of the dealership, told CTV Montreal. 

The phones didn't stop ringing Friday and the group has already signed up hundreds of volunteers.


A challenging clean-up ahead

In St-Paul-de-l'Ile-aux-Noix, one of the hardest hit communities in the area, fish have been found dead on front lawns, and the stench from the decay will only get worse as the waters recede.

Standing water has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, one that can become a real risk to public health.

Carole Guimond, who has been away from her house for more than a month, is worried that when she can return home, she will end up getting sick.

"It's not going to be healthy anymore," Guimond told CTV Montreal.

She's been living in a trailer parked in her mother's driveway, and is worried she will be living there all summer.

"Everybody knows there's no way they can rebuild this year anyway," she said.

Amid the squalor people are still scrambling to sandbag their homes in anticipation of another rise in water levels.

"My husband is completely discouraged," said resident Manon Boudreault. "Thankfully the army is here, because we can't do anymore."


Troops likely to depart before clean-up

Except the army may not be there much longer. Federal Defence Minister Peter MacKay says the Canadian Forces will stay in the Richelieu Valley for the weekend, but after that they are likely to return to their bases.

Claude Bachand, a former MP for the region, said the army should help with the clean-up.

"They're doing humanitarian missions all over the world so they should do it here in St-Jean," he said.

Without the help of soldiers, the communities of the Richelieu Valley will once again lean largely on the work of volunteers who have been lending a hand for a month.

After the overnight rains expected to fall by Friday morning, another 10-15 mm of rain is forecast for Friday night with showers forecast for Saturday.

"It's depressing," flood victim Annick Gagnon said. "We're missing work, we're losing money. Everyone else is enjoying spring, but not us."

Weeks of flooding have convinced Yvon St. Jellet, another St-Paul-de-l'ile-aux-Noix resident, that he cannot fight mother nature.

"We're getting out, we're looking for a new place to live," he said.

Those interested in helping with clean-up can visit the SOS Richelieu website or phone 1-855-325-9911.