N.B. floodwaters begin to recede; dangers don’t

SAINT JOHN, N.B. — Officials are issuing a fresh warning to floodweary New Brunswickers even as the record-breaking floodwaters that have swamped homes, washed away cottages and submerged dozens of roads begin to retreat.

“The threat is not over,” Greg MacCallum, director of the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization, said during a briefing Tuesday.

“It’s not time to let anyone’s guard down,” he said. “It’s still an emergency situation in some areas.”

MacCallum said anxiety is high in the flood zone, but he urged patience and vigilance. The effects of the historic flood could linger for weeks and months.

Although the swollen Saint John River has crested and water levels are receding, the fastmoving, contaminated waters continue to pose a danger.

Geoffrey Downey, spokesman for the EMO, said there is raw sewage and motor oil in the river, animals have likely drowned in it and there have been reports of propane tanks going down the river and discharging their contents.

“There’s any number of contaminants in the river right now,” he said.

Floodwaters could contain harmful bacteria such as salmonella or E. coli, officials said.

“You need to avoid contact with flood waters,” said the province’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Jennifer Russell. “Water contaminated with sewage might carry bacteria that can make people sick.”

For residents cleaning contaminated areas, she said protective clothing including gloves, masks and boots should be worn and hands should be washed regularly.

Downey said water levels from the swollen Saint John River had decreased Tuesday by about 30 centimetres from eight metres to about 7.7 metres in Fredericton.

In Saint John, the levels were at about 5.6 metres — a drop of about 10 centimetres from Monday.