Water gushing out of a broken pipe overnight Tuesday flooded at least four buildings in Longueuil.

Passersby spotted water coming from a crack in the asphalt on Belcourt St. near Boucher St. broke just before midnight on Monday, and it didn't take long until the street resembled a pond.

City crews worked to turn off water flowing to the area, but it took several hours to do so and by that point water was at least a metre high in the basements of several buildings. 

Longueuil's head of public affairs, Louis-Pascal Cyr, said a break in the 49-year-old pipe wasn't anticipated and the cause of the burst is not yet known.

"It's something that's far below the pavement," he said. "Although we don't know the cause at this time, I would say it's not a pipe that was repaired in the past."

Firefighters ordered the evacuation of four apartment buildings because of the rising water, and crews cut electricity to the area in order to prevent accidental electrocution.

The Red Cross is providing temporary shelter to two families.

One home daycare operator is not sure what is going to happen to her business. While she has insurance, it will take time to repair the damage and until that is done it will be extremely difficult to find a safe space for children to play. Her husband, Karim Ahmed, said insurance will not cover lost revenue during the period where repairs are being conducted. 

"We will have to clean for at least one week and then we're going to need a plan, how to relocate the daycare," he said. 

An artist who kept hundreds of paintings in her basement said her life's work has been destroyed.

Louise Rouleau has a basement studio, which she also used as a showroom to store her work. She estimated that the flood ruined $100,000 worth of material -- and paintings she was about to sell.

"It's hard to have grants and it's hard to get anywhere, and even that I'm happy that I've been able to do all this with so little money and so little encouragement from so many parties involved. And now that I'm losing everything it's like a slap in the face honestly. It's hard, it's so very, very hard," said Rouleau.

Rouleau said some of the ruined pieces would have sold for as much as $4,000. She had just returned from a show at an art gallery in Chicago. 

"My problem is that many pieces were sold and I must replace them but now I cannot work," she said. 

Cyr said residents who suffered damage to their property should contact their insurance companies and "after that, we'll see what happens."

City workers will fix the water main on Tuesday, and then repave the street afterward. Until testing is complete, which will take about three days, homes in the area will not have running water. The city is handing out bottled water to homes in the affected area. 

Belcourt St. and some adjoining streets will be closed to motor vehicles until the work is finished.