Violent thunderstorms | The national holiday in Quebec turns to disaster

(Quebec) The party did not take place on Monday evening. However, About 15 minutes before the start of the national holiday show on the plains of Abraham. Furthermore, the site was evacuated due to the risks posed by the approach of a violent thunderstorm. However, The disappointment was lively among the spectators and the artists.

Updated at 0:05 a.m.

The crowd was already very numerous shortly before 9 p.m., time when the show was kicked off which was to be broadcast in Télé-Québec from 9:30 p.m. Therefore, The press had notably crossed people from Trois-Rivières. Consequently, the great Montreal region to hear artists violent thunderstorms | national holiday like Sarahmée, Marie-Pierre Arthur, Claude Dubois, Marie Denise Pelletier, Garou and Ariane Moffatt.

It was about 8:45 p.m. For example, when a man went on stage. Meanwhile, asked the assistance – incredulous – to identify the emergency exits and evacuate the plains. Nevertheless, Protests were heard, but the place was emptied in no time.

A quarter of an hour later, shortly after 9 p.m., a strong violent thunderstorms | national holiday wind had risen. Furthermore, In the tent where The press was with a few other journalists. For example, it was heard objects powered by gusts hitting obstacles, and the web walls of the immense shelter were shaken loudly.

An hour later, it was confirmed that the show would be canceled. Meanwhile, “With lightning. Meanwhile, winds and alerts of tornadoes, it was not safe,” said Richard Samson, Pr3 media, producer of the show, qualifying the situation as “disaster”.

In a press release, Télé-Québec announced at the same time that violent thunderstorms | national holiday images shot earlier on Monday would be broadcast on Télé-Québec from 10:30 p.m. This segment opened on a collective number where Garou. Ariane Moffatt and several others played The world is to cry by Jean Leloup. Greeting the memory of Dédé Fortin, Garou and Mélissa Bédard sang a little later Bad character.

Violent thunderstorms | national holiday

“Mourning” artists

“We are experiencing mourning,” said Ariane Moffatt, joined to her hotel, after the evacuation. “I am with Sébastien Diaz. Bianca Gervais, we show ourselves the kits that we would have worn during the show. We are sad, really. »»

“It was my blonde who entered the makeup room and who said: everyone must evacuate. I just believed it, because I know her. We left in not really believing it. but here we look outside and we see that violent thunderstorms | national holiday they did their job really well, ”she said around 9:45 p.m.

The artist rented the efficiency and speed of what she called “the crisis cell” of the event. At the time of his interview with The pressshe was expecting news from the organization. No one knew at that time whether, once the storm is calmed, a show would take place or not. The official announcement of the cancellation only came after the interview.

“It was a super beautiful show that announced. ” regretted the violent thunderstorms | national holiday singer, evoking the long rehearsals, the general under the sun and the capture of a spectacle segment at the start of the evening under a temperature of 40 degrees in case the evening falls into the water.

Ariane Moffatt played in all kinds of conditions, but never experienced evacuation like that on Monday evening.

Spectators soaked. disappointed

By leaving the site of the Plains of Abraham in the rain and the strong winds, The press crossed a few groups of revelers dipped to the bones, some currents to find a shelter, others sitting on the lawn, under waterproof ponchos. Near Le Concorde hotel. dozens violent thunderstorms | national holiday of people were trying to take shelter from heavy rain under the marquise or in the hall.

Among these people. some still had their minds at the party, singing and shouting with a head killing of “Olé, Olé, Olé” to the cars that passed. Stuck under the marquise. soggy, Alain, who arrived very early for the show, said he was “very disappointed” of the event turn. “I saw the portion they shot earlier in the day. it was very good,” said the resident of Quebec, who came in particular to hear Claude Dubois.

violent thunderstorms | national holiday

Roxanne, who was near and had come from Longueuil, was not so lucky. It was turned back before even set foot on the site of the Plains d’Abraham. “I had chosen the Quebec show rather than that of Montreal for the artists,” she said. However. this mishap is likely to remove the desire to make the road to live the event in Quebec, she said.

In the early evening. the specter of a violent thunderstorm was far in the heads of people who came to celebrate national holiday in Quebec. It is rather overwhelming heat that we spoke on the site weighed down by the sun and humidity. This hot weather did not seem to be afraid of many people. The announcement of the cancellation of the show, shortly before 9 p.m., therefore caused the surprise.

It is the second time in two years that the show of the National. Day in Quebec has been the victim of the bad weather. Last year. it was cold on the plains and the artists, of which Mara Tremblay, had sang in the pouring rain in front of a handful of spectators. What made the difference this year, said Richard Samson was the alerts of tornadoes, winds and lightning. Maintaining the show would have been “irresponsible,” he said to The press.