SAINT GEORGES DE CLARENCEVILLE - Water levels on the Richelieu river are expected to stabilize Wednesday, then finally begin to drop from the record levels they have been flowing at for weeks.

The high levels come despite several days of sunshine, and are being blamed on strong winds coming from the south, creating waves along Lake Champlain and the river that long ago burst its banks.

Civil security officials estimate it will take two weeks for the river to return to its normal levels and freely admit it will take weeks, if not months, to clean up the mess left after nearly 40 days of flooding.

Quebec's Minister of Municipal Affairs Laurent Lessard toured the Richelieu Valley on Tuesday, and promised financial help for the thousands of flood victims.

However the government has yet to figure out exactly what will happen for the 200-odd houses that are so badly damaged they cannot be repaired.

"There are certainly at least 200 homes, that's clear," said Lessard. "We will have to determine if we will rebuild on the same spot, in the same manner."


Cleanup planned for June 11, 12

Meanwhile mayors of the small towns that dot the region are asking for help from anyone who can provide it.

They will gladly welcome anyone who shows up with a strong back, but Mayor Louis Hak of Saint Georges de Clarenceville says his town needs heavy equipment as well.

"We're going to need some big shovels," said Hak.

He said his town has is equipped to deal with road repairs, but is not equipped to deal with the scale of the catastrophe.

"We're looking for people, we're looking for drivers and foremen that will fix the work and ensure it's done properly," said Hak.

To that end the city of Brossard has promised to help the town of Saint Georges de Clarenceville, while the municipalities of Laval, Longueuil and Montreal have pledged to send heavy equipment and blue collar workers to wherever is needed in the region.

Other cities say they will have to wait until their June council meetings to determine exactly what help they can provide.

Individuals who wish to help should plan to head to the Richelieu Valley on June 11 and 12, the date planned for a large scale cleaning operation.

Details about that event are still being worked out.