As residents of flood-ravaged communities in southern B.C. brace for rivers to swell even higher, the provincial government is delivering some much-needed financial relief.

In Grand Forks, where the flood damage has been categorized as catastrophic and unprecedented, residents spent Monday taking advantage of calmer conditions by filling thousands of sandbags and delivering them to homes and businesses.

George Hoffman, who has been volunteering his truck to transport sandbags around town, said there's been an incredible amount of support for flood victims. Hoffman said his own home flooded with sewage, and he's unsure if it will be salvageable.

"A lot of people have lost a lot," he said. "It's been devastating for me personally and I pretty well had a nervous breakdown."

For some of them, money is also running out. About 1,100 residents have already registered for help from the Canadian Red Cross.

On Monday afternoon, the B.C. government announced Disaster Financial Assistance has been made available for eligible flood victims, including homeowners, tenants, small business owners and farmers that haven't been able to get insurance to cover their losses. 

"I want Grand Forks, and other B.C. communities hard-hit by flooding, to know that the province is here to help now and for the long term," Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said in a statement. "We are making this funding available to help residents, local governments and First Nations rebuild, so they can begin the process of healing."

Water levels in three rivers around Grand Forks dropped over the weekend, but are expected to surge again in the coming days as hot weather continues to melt snow up in the mountains.

Despite the level of damage already experienced, there are concerns the worst is still to come.

“The highest snow pack is melting very quickly,” Dan Derby, fire chief for the Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue, told CTV News Channel. “The rivers are rising steadily and we’re very concerned about a further impact to a situation that’s already catastrophic.”

About 3,000 people have been forced out of their homes by evacuation orders so far, including town councillor Julia Butler, who was out helping with the sandbagging efforts Monday morning.

"The kids wanted to come down," Butler said. "They know people that have lost their homes and this is something they can actively do to help out, so I think it's worth losing an hour of school."

Over in Osoyoos, where flooding has forced the evacuations of dozens of homes and a lakefront hotel, authorities are also preparing for a second round of surging floodwaters.

The raging Similkameen River is expected to push Osoyoos Lake up "as much as several additional feet of water" by the end of the week, according to a town bulletin.

Regional officials also expect the rising river to force the closure of Highway 3 at multiple locations. They have urged people with health issues or livestock to self-evacuate if they're currently under an evacuation alert in the Hedley or Similkameen River areas.

To register for Disaster Financial Assistance, visit the B.C. government website. People with livestock concerns can contact the Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team at 250-809-7152.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Sarah MacDonald