Northern Maine Residents See Flooding Come To An End

May 1, 2008 4:59 p.m. EST

Fort Kent, MA (AHN) - Flooding fed by rain and melting snow forced some residents in northern Maine to flee their homes as the St. John River crested there early Thursday, but not before it had hit a new record of 30 feet, which was about 5 feet above flood stage.

The swollen river had forced about 600 people from their homes in Fort Kent, but relieved officials said the water didn't top the town's levee and the water has started to recede.

However, an historic Catholic church in the center of town and about 100 homes were flooded before the water stopped rising.

A building supply store was also flooded, which sent a lot of lumber into the floodwaters.

Fortunately the river did not rise high enough to dislodge a bridge to Canada from its foundation and sweep it into the river because police said the debris would have blocked the river and made the flooding worse, according to ABC13 TV reports.