Quebec priest kayaks Houston streets helping flood victims

A Quebec priest used his kayak to help people affected by the floods in Houston,as he made his way to his parish on Sunday.

Father David Bergeron, who is originally from Granby, Que., and has been the priest at the Catholic Charismatic Center in Houston for the past two years, said he tried to buy some wine for mass at a convenience store but couldn't because alcohol sales are prohibited in Texas before noon on Sunday.

Hebought some food for afellowpriestinstead and as he left the store saw some people in the flooded streets who needed help, including a man he helped escort tosafety withhis kayak.

"So I wasjust there beside himto escort him so that he was notswallowed by the currents," Bergeron told CBC News.

• Catastrophic floods strike Houston, forcing thousands to flee

In an interview Monday morning, Bergerontold Quebec AM the water appears to have receded overnight but that many people are still stranded in their homes.

He said he will do whatever he can to help flood victims, with more rain in the forecast today.

"It is a very dangerous situation," he said.

"This is something that is difficult,but at the same time we have to keep hope."

'Catastrophic and life-threatening'

Harvey made landfall late Friday as a Category 4 hurricane.

People in the path of the storm were advised Monday to continue to shelter in place as "catastrophic and life-threatening" flooding continued in southeast Texas and headed east toward Louisiana, the U.S. National Hurricane Center warned.

At least two deaths have been blamed on the storm and about 6.8 million people, or one-quarter of the population of Texas, are affected.