Severe flooding drowns Eastern Canada's biggest cities (PHOTOS)

Lakes and rivers across Canada are overflowing this spring.

Montreal and the surrounding areas have declared a state of emergency, and parts of Ottawa and Gatineau are literally underwater. In Toronto, high waters have caused beaches and shorelines to erode to a scary extent.

To say it’s been a wet spring would be an understatement.

Check out this photo round-up to see the severity of flooding from city to city.

Flooding in Montreal

Pierrefonds got closed. Gouin Closed down too. Situation might get worse. They have evacuated some and might evacuate some more. West island is now Dead island #deadisland #flood

A post shared by The Montreal Prodigies (@mtlprodigies) on May 7, 2017 at 6:36am PDT

As I watch my beautiful city of Montreal and surrounding areas being flooded with water, I feel overcome with gratitude for all those angels helping with relief efforts. Our hearts open wide and selflessly when people are in need and it brings comfort and reignites our belief in each other and humanity. Here’s to those angels who pick us up and inspire us and don’t even know it. 💕💕💕 #montreal #montrealflood #photooftheday #photographer #photo #angels #heart #live #love #life #worldcaptures #wanderlust #people #selfie #human #soul #water #cityview #instadaily #planetology #heart #inspiration #humanity #people #angel #together #city #leader #help #stateofemergency

A post shared by Daily Inspiration |Travel|Life (@_planetology_) on May 7, 2017 at 6:57pm PDT

La fois en bateau à Terrasse-Vaudreuil 😱 #inondations #terrassevaudreuil #imonaboat #vaudreuilsoulanges #work #crues #floods #vaudreuildorion

A post shared by Stephanie Lec (@steleclerc) on May 7, 2017 at 9:19pm PDT

Floods in Pierrefonds, north west of Montreal. Water comes up more and more everyday and we still have rain in forecast. Couldn’t go further though it’s the place I normally go for groceries and carwash! Hope everyone stays safe. It’s truly sad! #pierrefonds #flood #flooding #montreal #mtlshot #mtlblog #montrealmoments #montrealflood #westisland #westislandmontreal #canada #quebec #staydry

A post shared by Bita (@beetabit) on May 6, 2017 at 5:56pm PDT

Ste Geneviève ouest de l’île de Montréal # flood #stegenevieve #flooding ##westisland #mtl #514 #montreal

A post shared by Elio Fucile (@eliofucile) on May 7, 2017 at 12:56pm PDT

Flooding continues all around the Montreal area as a state of emergency has been declared. I was on site to help as much as I could, while also photographing the scene for the Montreal Times newspaper. Still can’t get warm today. Shivering still. There are many people in need today, so if you can, please get out and help your communities! The waters ARE still rising. ———————————————– #flood #flooding #montreal #ilebizard #stateofemergency #help #naturaldisaster #redcross #deep #water #montrealphotographer #montrealphotography #photojournalism #sony #sonya99 #sonyimages #montreal #montrealphotographer #followforfollow #follow4follow #f4f #zeiss #action #extreme

A post shared by Kieron Yates (@kieronyatesphotography) on May 8, 2017 at 5:07am PDT

Inondations dans le West-Island 🌊

A post shared by Guillaume Boily (@guillaumeboily) on May 7, 2017 at 7:25pm PDT

A post shared by Anne-Marie (@daizyb) on May 6, 2017 at 1:21pm PDT

More than 400 members of 2 Canadian Division from Base Valcartier were deployed to support civilian authorities with the Government of Quebec’s emergency response. Members left Valcartier and drove to Shawinigan, Rigaud, Laval and Gatineau. They are divided into four companies of over 100 individuals. They will be supported by 5 Combat Engineer Regiment, RCAF aircraft and Naval Reserve components. // Plus de quatre cents militaires de la 2e Division du Canada provenant de la Base des Forces canadiennes Valcartier sont déployés pour venir en appui aux autorités civiles face aux mesures d’intervention prises par le gouvernement du Québec. Les militaires de Valcartier ont pris la route vers Shawinigan, Rigaud, Laval et Gatineau. Ils sont répartis en quatre compagnies de plus de cent personnes. Elles pourront compter sur l’appui du 5e Régiment de génie de combat, des aéronefs de l’Aviation royale canadienne ainsi que des éléments de la Réserve navale. #OpLENTUS #Quebecfloods #inondationsQuebec2017 #CanadianArmy #Armeecanadienne #CanadianArmedForces #Forcesarmeescanadiennes #army #armee #military #militaire #quebec #floods #inondation Members from 5e Régiment d’artillerie légère du Canada talk with residents in a canoe affected by flooding while assess the situation of a community in Bécancour, Quebec during OPLENTUS17 on Sunday May 7, 2017 Photo by: Cpl Nathan Moulton, Imagery Valcartier

A post shared by Canadian Army/Armée canadienne (@armeecdnarmy) on May 7, 2017 at 3:52pm PDT

Flooding in Gatineau

Gatineau Flood 2017 . . . . . #flood #flooding #flood2017 #ottawaflood #myottawa #narcityottawa #exploreottawa #imagesofcanada #canada #gatineau #qc #quebec #sandbags #construction #canada #igerscanada #igersottawa #cbcott #lensculture #steettog #everybodystreet

A post shared by Thalia 📸 (@funkymotherphotography) on May 8, 2017 at 6:11am PDT

A post shared by Ilmars Zvirgzds (@zvirgzds) on May 7, 2017 at 7:42pm PDT

It took less than an hour for the water line to rise up on the land an extra 3ft.

A post shared by Martin MARTINI Parisien (@mononkmart) on May 7, 2017 at 2:26pm PDT

Parce que c’est difficile voir la ville ou tu as grandis en train de se détruire petit à petit… svp envoyez nous vos ondes positives et surtout qu’on prie pour que la pluie CESSE 😞 #gatineaustrong

A post shared by MAUDE ♡ LARAMÉE (@maudelaramee) on May 7, 2017 at 1:37pm PDT

Responding to a big disaster in my own backyard this time, great day building sandbag walls with good friends and amazing to see an entire community come out to help out! #disaster #flood #gatineau #community #hardwork #workout

A post shared by Dana Periard (@dperiard) on May 7, 2017 at 1:42pm PDT

A road or a boat launch? You guess… #ottflood #gatflood #somuchwater #ottnews #flood

A post shared by Ashley Fraser (@ashley_fraser) on May 7, 2017 at 1:01pm PDT

Ma belle Gatineau sous l’eau. Quel désastre!

A post shared by Jessica Poirier Boudreau (@lesimagesdejessica) on May 7, 2017 at 12:09pm PDT

Flooding in Ottawa

Ottawa flooding. View of Parliament Hill from the Ottawa River.  #ottawaflood #OttawaRiver #Flooding #OttFlood

A post shared by Ben Powless (@benpowless) on May 7, 2017 at 1:39pm PDT

Wow #ottawa2017 #tomuchrain

A post shared by Brendan Knuth (@brendanknuth) on May 5, 2017 at 11:34am PDT

Ottawa flooding. Rideau River flowing into the Ottawa River. #ottawaflood #OttawaRiver #Flooding #OttFlood

A post shared by Ben Powless (@benpowless) on May 7, 2017 at 2:58pm PDT

#ottawaflooding2017 #ottawa

A post shared by Brando Skulltropolis (@brando_calrissian666) on May 8, 2017 at 4:40am PDT

Never seen it like this 🙁#ottawaflooding2017

A post shared by Mike Dawson (@ottawareestate) on May 7, 2017 at 4:05pm PDT

Britannia Village: Spring Colours #ottawaflood #ottawaflooding2017

A post shared by RM (@rmottawa) on May 7, 2017 at 2:51pm PDT

First time in the air in a while. Petrie island is not much of an island right now.

A post shared by Chris Moore (@chrismoore1800) on May 4, 2017 at 7:22pm PDT

Flooding in Toronto

A soggy hike with the Toronto Outdoor Club along the Martin Goodman Trail reveals the flooded shoreline of Lake Ontario which reportedly rose nearly 25 centimetres since May 1st. Meanwhile staff have placed some 4,000 sandbags on shorelines across Toronto #lakeontario #floods #toronto #torontoflood #sunnysidebeach

A post shared by Lori Whelan (@underground_joan) on May 7, 2017 at 2:08pm PDT

#sandbag wall #torontoislands

A post shared by Ben Angus (@bfangus) on May 8, 2017 at 4:23am PDT

It’s tough to set a beach campfire when the fire pit is almost under water. #toomuchrain

A post shared by christopher_lawson (@christopher_lawson) on May 7, 2017 at 4:36pm PDT

How about a nice walk on the beach? 🤣 #aftertherain #spring #toronto #rubberboots

A post shared by Letitia (@let_yeu) on May 7, 2017 at 9:28am PDT

The lake is taking over

A post shared by @michaelmarschnertoronto on May 7, 2017 at 5:32pm PDT

See also

• A deer was swept down the Humber River during yesterday's storm (VIDEO)
• This is how the weather compares in Canada's 4 biggest cities (infographic)
• This insane video shows the extent of flooding in Montreal’s West Island