Severe flooding near the border of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick has left residents scrambling and displaced dozens, including seniors at a long-term care facility.

Centennial Villa in Amherst, N.S. evacuated 84 residents and had to shut off power early Monday morning as heavy rains caused a nearby brook to crest its banks.

“My phone rang at 3 a.m. this morning,” said Kathy Maltby, administrator for the seniors’ residence.

“We have to check all the systems and I assume it will all have to be rewired and will probably require new furnaces and ventilation equipment,” she said.

Although the floodwaters had receded from the rest of the town by 10 a.m., as of Monday evening there was no word as to when residents would be able to return.

Amherst fire Chief Greg Jones said it is the worst flooding he has ever experienced in the town.

"I grew up in Amherst, and I can't remember in the last 30, 35 years it ever being like this," he said.

The situation is as bad or worse across the border in Sackville, N.B., where about 650 people were left stranded by the flooding at the intersection of highways 106 and 935, and in the downtown area.

A number of roads there remain closed and there is concern for the ability of emergency services to get where they are needed.

The town executed its flood contingency plans, which include deploying fire engines and heavy machinery on either side of submerged areas, and warning residents of the emergency.

Jamie Burke, senior manager of corporate projects in Sackville, said the town experiences flooding like this two to three times a year.

“I think we're certainly seeing more of it. The rains are more frequent. The rains are heavier,” Burke said.

“And, unfortunately, the infrastructure is not getting and better.”

The Town of Sackville won’t be able to solve these problems on its own, and officials have been in touch with government and corporate partners to work toward a solution in the near future.

“We have several small culverts underneath public streets as well as underneath the CN rail lines that we do need our partners to help us with, both CN and the province of New Brunswick,” Burke said.

With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Atlantic’s Kayla Hounsell