Just 2 communities above flood level as St. John River continues retreat

Only two communities along the St. John River remain above flood stage, according to New Brunswick'sfive-day forecast.

The water level in Sheffield-Lakeville Corner should retreat to the area's 4.8-metre flood stage by Tuesday, but Jemseg is expected to remain above its 4.2-metre flood level until Friday.

Asof Monday morning, Sheffield-Lakeville Corner wasat 4.93 metres and Jemseg at 4.78 metres,while the river slowly but surely receded to normal levels.

Several roads are still closed because of flooding, the province reported.

"While some of those roads may now be dry, it does not mean they are safe to use," the government said in a release Monday afternoon.

"Municipal and provincial officials must inspect closed roads, culverts and bridges before they are reopened to determine if remedial work is necessary to make them safe for motorists."

A list of closures can be found online.

Shifting focus

With the river retreating, the focus has shifted to the cleanup.

Health and safety inspections of flood-damaged homes and businesses began Monday in Maugerville, Hampton, Quispamsis, Rothesay and Kingston. Multidisciplinary inspection teams will determine if a building is safe enough for residents or owners to remain or return.

The government announced several support measures for affected people and created a website to help walk property owners through the cleanup process.

Here are some helpful articles to explain what's available:

• What you need to know returning home after a flood
• How to salvage items from your flood-damaged home
• Province offers financial aid to owners of flood-damaged buildings
• New Brunswick offering help for residents starting flood cleanup

More than 300 still displaced

The Red Cross reported 601 households (1,425 people) have registered with the organization, and 103 households (318 people) are still being sheltered.

To be eligible for disaster financial assistance, applicants must first register damage with the province by June 15. Once registered, a financial assistance package will be mailed.

People can register their damage online or by calling 1-888-298-8555.

The deadline to apply to the financial assistance program is Aug. 30. More information about the program is available online.

Applicants must first contact their insurance provider to see if the damage is covered.

Fiddlehead warning

The office of the chief medical officer of health is cautioning New Brunswickerswhen harvesting and eating fiddleheads and other wild edible plants.

"There have been no reported illnesses associated with eating fully cooked fiddleheads, but eating raw or undercooked fiddleheads can lead to illness," it said in a statement Monday.

The statement said there were fewer reported instances of sewage or chemicals spilled into floodwaters this year compared with2018.

"While the risks are lower this year, it is important that individuals avoid consuming wild edible plants if there is evidence that the surrounding soil is contaminated by chemicals such as petroleum, or if the edible portion of a plant is directly exposed to floodwaters," the statement said.