(REUTERS) - The Canadian government will offer C$60 million (S$73.2 million) to help rebuild the devastated Quebec town of Lac-Megantic, where 47 people died in a crude oil tanker train explosion and fire, a federal minister said on Monday.

Quebec's provincial government announced shortly after the July 6 disaster that it was giving C$60 million in aid.

Federal International Aid Minister Christian Paradis, who represents a parliamentary district that includes Lac-Megantic, said C$25 million would go to Quebec for immediate help while C$35 million would be dedicated to rebuilding efforts.

"Faced with such devastating circumstances it is really important to offer immediate aid to people whose lives have been turned upside down," he told a televised briefing.

Earlier in the day, police in Lac-Megantic said they had moved the wrecked locomotives to recover the train's black box data recorder which has been flown to the United States for examination.

Canadian crash investigators said last week that not enough brakes had been set on the train, which moved by itself after it had been parked for the night on July 5 near the town.