40 Streets Flooding, Areas of Maine Evacuated in Torrential Flooding

Approximately 40 of Fredericton's streets are expected to be swallowed by the flood waters of the St. John River, city officials warn.

New Brunswick's Emergency Measures Organization announced on Wednesday afternoon that water levels are expected to reach 8.6 metres above sea level in the capital city by 7 a.m. Thursday.

The waters may go beyond that and exceed the historic river levels of 1973, when the river reached 8.63 metres above sea level.

Bob Martin, an official with Fredericton's emergency operation centre, said city officials are preparing for flooding on about 40 streets as well as the possibility of losing some of the ramps leading onto the Westmorland Street Bridge.

People fled homes and businesses along both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border near this town at the northern tip of Maine on Wednesday as the area suffered its worst flooding on record.

At least 3 inches of rain in 24 hours combined with melting of the heaviest winter snow accumulation in memory to send the St. John River to 28.2 feet — more than 3 feet above flood stage.

The river is expected to crest at 31 feet Thursday, 4 feet higher than the previous record set in 1979, said Joseph Hewitt of the National Weather Service.

Emergency officials in New Brunswick are warning people living along the St. John River to brace for the worst flood in decades, with up to 1,300 homes threatened by the rising water.

So far, more than 300 people have registered with the Red Cross to confirm they have left their homes or plan to do so. That number is expected to rise because officials were warning the floodwaters would continue to rise until Thursday morning, when the crest will likely reach 8.6 metres in the Fredericton area - that's just below the record level set in 1973.

The Red Cross is already providing shelter for some people at the University of New Brunswick campus in Fredericton. Most other displaced residents are staying with friends or relatives.