Famous Saguenay flood house vandalized

The little white house that has become the enduring symbol of the 1996 flood that hit the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of Quebec has been vandalized with graffiti.

Its sturdy foundation saved it from being swept away in July 1996. Images of floodwaters swirling around the house were broadcast around the globe and it became a symbol of the isolated region's strength and resilience.

The house was sprayed with graffiti over the weekend in Saguenay, a small city about 250 kilometres north of Quebec City.

"A lot of tourists come here every summer," said Sylvain Genest, the grandson of the house's original owner.

"It's not a very nice sight for the city or the tourist destination."

Police said graffiti was also sprayed on city hall, a religious statue at a church and at aluminum giant Alcan.

There were no immediate suspects.

Genest, who runs a gift shop and museum in the house, said he isn't looking forward to the cleanup.

He estimated it would cost $2,000 to remove the graffiti and replace signs.

"I'm the one who has to pay for the cleanup. I have an agreement with the City of Saguenay that allows me to run a boutique-museum inside and I have to pay for the upkeep," Genest said.

The museum in the house will open June 1 to tourists.

The interior was spared from vandalism.

"I barricaded the windows and doors to avoid vandals from getting inside and lighting a fire, which has already happened," Genest said.

He said there isn't enough of a police presence in the old historic area of town where the little white house is located.