St. Lawrence flood relief coming from Que.

The Quebec government will help pay to repair or even move hundreds of homes along the St. Lawrence River after high tides and fierce winds caused major damage this week.

Public Security Minister Robert Dutil visited communities in eastern Quebec on Wednesday and said that at least 30 municipalities will be eligible for provincial disaster-relief funding.

Dutil expects the list of municipalities asking for compensation will grow to 50 or even 60 by the time all of the damageis assessed.

Earlier this week, crashing waves flooded hundreds of homesin the Lower St. Lawrence, Gasp and along the North Shore with saltwater and mud. The violent watersalso washed away some shorelines, leaving homes perilously close to the water's edge.

In the Lower St. Lawrence town of Sainte-Luce,homeowner Louisianne Brisson and her family spent Wednesday cleaning away the water and mud that covered the walls, shelves and cupboards of her home.

"My cold room, it's finished. My closet, it's finished. My bathroom, it's finished," said Brisson, as she pulled back plastic sheeting and stepped down into her waterlogged basement.

Brisson said she has lost almost everything in her basement, including Christmas presents.

"We won't have any. There will benone this year," she said.

Not all flood victims eligible for compensation

Homeowners such as Brisson will be able to apply to the province for financial aidup to $100,000, but only primary residences will be eligible, not summer homes.

Dutil said the government has limited funds available and had to make choices.

He said the government is considering raising the maximum compensation limit, realizing that for some homeowners it will not come close to covering the costs.

"There is an analysis now in the ministry. But there is no decision yet on that situation," he said, noting thatany change would likely not be retroactive.

Small communities face big cleanup costs

Some of the towns hit by the high tides say they are already running out of contingency funds, with more cleanup and road repair work still to be done.

Sainte-Luce Mayor Gaston Gaudreault expects the damage will cost the town of 1,500 residents about$5 million.

The town's surplus of $250,000 is already almost gone, he said.