Flooding has prompted more communities in Eastern Ontario to declare states of emergency as communities in New Brunswick and Quebec also cope with rising water levels and dangerous conditions.

A state of emergency was declared in Tweed, Ont., due to widespread flooding that impacted roads and homes in the community approximately 220 kilometres northeast of Toronto.

Belleville officials tweeted Thursday afternoon that water levels on the Moira River are likely to rise another inch overnight Thursday and then “hopefully” peak. Water levels are then expected to remain above the flood threshold for six to eight days before receding to normal spring levels.

Earlier Thursday, Terry Murphy, general manager for Quinte Conservation, said he’s hoping areas near Belleville – which declared a state of emergency last week -- and the lower parts of Foxboro peak Thursday night or Friday.

The Foxboro area is one of the hardest hit in the region, with more than 70 homes that are “totally impacted,” Murphy told CTV’s Canada AM Thursday morning.

Murphy called the flooding overall a “bad situation,” and the worst he’s seen in three decades on the job.

“Although the waters have started to come down in the northern parts of the watershed, the actual flood levels around people’s homes hasn’t started to recede yet,” Murphy said.

“The safety of homes has become a real issue now, because the water is getting so deep it’s not safe to send people in to do more sandbagging.”

The cleanup will be difficult, Murphy added, as roads become saturated and wash away completely.

The prolonged harsh winter has contributed to the flooding in the region.

“All of the water coming down the river is because of the snow melt,” Murphy said. “The result of a heavy winter.”

New Brunswick evacuations

Further east, homes and businesses have been evacuated in New Brunswick as rising water levels led to flooding.

New Brunswick RCMP urged people not to drive through flooded roadways as dozens of homes were flooded, including in the town of Sussex.

During a tour of the community Thursday, New Brunswick Premier David Alward urged residents to stay on alert, even as water levels recede.

Alward also said it was too early to provide damage estimates.

In Perth-Andover, the mayor called for a voluntary evacuation over fears the St. John River could overflow. Officials said Thursday morning the river peaked overnight, and that residents should expect levels to drop over the next three days.

In Sussex Corner, water levels have started to recede, but not before flooding made some roads impenetrable.

Residents are still being urged to stay away from bodies of water, as the situation is “unpredictable,” said Danny Soucy, New Brunswick’s local government minister.

Quebec emergency preparedness

After flooding forced more than 600 residents to evacuate their homes in Sherbrooke, a remaining 200 residents were allowed to return Thursday. Water levels on the Saint-Francois River were also receding after swelling to more than four times its normal level.

In Quebec City, officials say water levels in several rivers across the province have reached dangerous levels, and an emergency preparedness plan has been activated.

Winnipeg bracing

Authorities in Manitoba are bracing for flooding in Winnipeg following the sustained cold. Emergency Measures Minister Steve Ashton said the Red River in south Winnipeg is swelling due to the amount of ice currently in the water.

“The ice on the Red River is, in many cases, three feet-plus thick still,” Ashton said.

With files from The Canadian Press