Premier David Alward says flood-ravaged areas in western New Brunswick are ready to work towards "some sense of normalcy" again, but progress will be gradual.

He says some residents in the village of Perth-Andover have started to return to the homes they fled when the St. John River breached its banks late last week.

Others are awaiting the word of inspectors who plan to spend Monday surveying properties to determine which buildings need to be demolished, said Alward.

"Their world is turned upside down. (We're) going forward again with small steps," he told CTV News Channel in a phone interview from Fredericton.

About 500 people in Perth-Andover had to flee for higher ground Friday when ice jams caused the river to spill over its banks. Another 50 people had to leave the nearby Tobique First Nation.

Alward visited the flood-affected areas over the weekend to witness firsthand the washed-out streets, muddied storefronts and swamped homes.

"It's, quite frankly, a horrific sight," he said.

This isn't the first time floodwaters have washed into Perth-Andover, but Alward estimates water levels in the most recent flood were at least a metre higher than ones in the past. It's estimated that the flood has caused $25 million in damage.

Earlier, Alward said there's been significant damage to government buildings and about 150 properties in the area. Schools and a local hospital have been forced to close.

A disaster relief program kicked off Monday for homeowners whose properties were ruined by the floodwater.

Property owners could be eligible for up to $100,000 in help under the federal-provincial program, according to the province's Emergency Measures Organization.

Applicants whose claims are approved could also receive advance payments of up to $4,000 for immediate repairs.

"This is not an insurance program, it's a disaster financial assistance program," said Alward. "One thing that is clear is: it's never enough."

Flood waters began receding Sunday, leaving sludge and ice chunks behind on the streets of Perth-Andover, but a state of emergency remains in effect.

Karl Wilmot of the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization says there are "reception centres" available for evacuees, but they have been marginally used.

"Mainly because of the fact that people prefer to stay with friends and family," he told CTV's Canada AM in a phone interview from Fredericton.

Many people have joined the effort to recover from the flood, volunteering to act as security guards at roadblocks and assisting mounted police, he said.

"We're moving forward as quickly as we possibly can," said Wilmot.