New Brunswick flood damage seen from above
Drone images capture extent of flooding near Fredericton and Saint John
Floodwaters in southern New Brunswick continued to rise Saturday as several homeowners filled sandbags in an effort to hold back the waves.
A number of roads remain closed and officials warn there could be more to come. CBC drone footage captured the scene Friday looking north at a washed-out Westfield Road in the Saint John neighbourhood of South Bay.
Some residents left isolated
The extent of the flooding could be seen at this boat storage facility on Westfield Road in South Bay. Officials in the city say traffic is not allowed to enter or leave the Westfield Road area between Gault Road and Mellinger Crescent because of rising water levels.
Many hope sandbags will help
As floodwaters along the St. John River continue to rise to what is expected will be historic levels, many people are fighting back with sandbags — like this homeowner in South Bay.
This image shows the devastation for homeowners in Saint John's Grand Bay-Westfield neighbourhood.
Wind adds to misery
By Saturday, high winds made for rough water along the shoreline of the St. John River, seen here in Fredericton.
Back to square one. The wind and waves today have knocked sandbags down. People are adding to the ones they have to contend with water crashing over their existing walls. <a href="https://t.co/BumFUH5chm">pic.twitter.com/BumFUH5chm</a>
—@mattybingThe yard of this home in a residential area of Fredericton remained under water on Saturday. On Friday, Emergency Measures officials in the city said it appears floodwaters on the St. John River had crested, but they warned levels will remain high into next week.
Growing road closures
Drivers were being urged not to ignore signs warning of dozens of road closures in the province. A growing number of roads in low-lying areas were becoming impassable. The Trans-Canada Highway between Fredericton and Moncton was closed due to flooding on Thursday night. Authorities have also begun limiting traffic into Martinon, west of Saint John.
Tourism site affected
Usually the world famous Reversing Falls can be seen flowing in two directions depending on the tide. The water flows into the Bay of Fundy during low tide, but at high tide it "reverses" and the powerful tide comes up river. But there is so much water coming down the St. John River right now the falls have stopped reversing.
With files from The Canadian Press