Canadian Prime Minister to Tour New Brunswick Flood Zones

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The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has confirmed that Canada’s Prime Minister will tour the New Brunswick flood zones sometime this afternoon. Prime Minister Harper’s itinerary is not yet available.

Yesterday, the premier of New Brunswick, Shawn Graham announced that there will be a disaster assistance package available to people affected by the floods. The CBC report says that Graham stated that the package will include a contribution from the federal government but declined to provide details.

Along the Saint John River basin a number of communities are still under water and officials were warning that downstream from Fredericton the river would continue to rise.

A meeting between New Brunswick’s Premier and the Governor of Maine, John Baldacci, will take place in order to asses the cross-border damage.

A state of emergency has been declared in Maine. The flood waters were so high that the International Bridge between Clair, N.B., and Fort Kent, Maine, has been closed since Tuesday night. Officials are concerned that the high waters may wash out the bridge.

The Saint John River is 673 kilometers long and stretches from its headwaters in Maine to the port city of Saint John, draining 55,000 square kilometers of land.

New Brunswick's Emergency Measures Organization is continuing to issue a major flood warning for all areas along the St. John River.