Senior Quebec cabinet ministers visited the flooded regions of the Gaspé on Thursday. (CBC)Flood victims in Quebec's Gaspé region will be able to access emergency relief money as they clean up from torrential rains that flooded homes and washed out roads this week.

Public Security Minister Robert Dutil made the announcement on Friday after a helicopter tour of the worst-hit areas around the town of Gaspé.

Victims will be able to tap into a maximum of $100,000 in compensation for losses to their homes and businesses.

"We need to be certain that everything is done to ensure the safety of the population touched by this disaster," Dutil told reporters in the town of Gaspé.

Dutil acknowledged that the emergency funding will not cover all costs, especially for those who will be forced to rebuild or move.

He did not rule out additional compensation as the extent of the damage becomes better understood in the coming days.

"We have not closed the door to other measures," he said.

About 250 millimetres of rain fell over the region over the last three days. By midday Thursday, rain had finally stopped, bringing welcome relief to thousands of residents.

State of emergency in effect

A car is submerged by flood waters in Gaspé, Que. (CBC) The Quebec government has declared a state of emergency across the entire Gaspé region.

Along the Gaspé peninsula there are close to 250 people who still can't return home because of flooding.

On Thursday, about 150 people were staying in emergency shelters in Gaspé and nearby Rivière-au-Rénard.

About 50 homes had to be evacuated as waters rose in the town of Chandler, farther south along the peninsula's eastern coast.

The Public Security ministry said just about every river in the region is either flooded or threatening to overflow its banks.

Water has submerged roads, leaving abandoned cars and long stretches of washed-out pavement, including along the region's main thoroughfare, Highway 132, near New Richmond.

Gaspé resident Marius Dubé was directing traffic around a damaged road as he waited for provincial police to arrive on the scene.

"This is incredible. We saw the road split in two. If someone drives over there, they are going to fall in," said Dubé.

Region known for flooding

Two people are rescued amid flood waters in the town of Gaspé, Que. (CBC) The area around the town of Gaspé has seen its fair share of disastrous flooding, with the 2007 Rivière-au-Renard flash floods still fresh in people's minds.

Two people died as a result, and the damage reached into the millions of dollars.

In the subsequent years, many homes in low-lying areas were moved to higher ground, including the home of Marie-Claude Samuel.

"When I went down this morning, when I saw Rue du Banc, I was just like, 'Oh no.' All of the memories came back," she said.

'I was just like, 'Oh no.' All of the memories came back.' — Marie-Claude Samuel, Gaspé resident

Former Gaspé city councillor Brad MacDonald credits residents for being extra cautious and getting out of harm's way this time around.

"Most of them have the 2007 floods in their minds, so they're more than willing to leave and take the necessities and come back later when it's deemed safe," he said.

Many residents are now worried about what will happen if the temperatures drop below zero before the water has time to recede.

Environment Canada says there's no rain in the forecast for the next few days, but high tides are predicted for next week, and officials say it's still too soon to tell if those tides will do any damage.

"I just want the rain to stop. We will do what we have to do. But I think for now, the only wish we have is to have sun sometime soon," said Samuel.

Ministers pledge help now, in future

Nathalie Normandeau, the MNA for Bonaventure and the province's deputy premier, said she has been blown away by the widespread nature of the flooding.

"We have never seen a level of precipitation like we have seen here, or the amount of flooding," she said, following the helicopter tour Thursday.

Her colleague, Gaspé MNA Georges Mamelonet, said the government will be with the flood victims every step of the way.

"We have realized that with just days before Christmas, there will be many people who will have a very difficult Christmas. We are very sensitive to that," he said.