For the second time this winter, residents in the Vancouver Island community of Courtenay, B.C., are being forced to leave their homes because of flooding.
Mayor Greg Phelps issued a state of emergency declaration late Monday night.
The warning was prompted by high flow levels in the Browns, Tsolum and Puntledge Rivers, which caused flooding in areas adjacent to the waterways.
Forty-three people were evacuated from the Maple Pool Campsite late Monday.
Phelps said some residents in the low level area have little mobility.
"Some of the vehicles in there are not able to move, or people aren't able to get out," he told ctvbc.ca.
Evacuees registered at the city's emergency reception centre late into the night. As part of the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP), they will remain in local hotels until they are allowed to return home.
Some roads closed by flooding reopened at 7 a.m., however, many areas are expected to remain shut down for at least another day.
Phelps expects the declaration may be in place for up to seven days, as unseasonably warm temperatures and heavy rains melts high altitude snow packs -- pushing more water into already high waters.
"What is disconcerting is a series of high tides in the next week or so and another weather warning coming," he told ctvbc.ca.
"Combined it's all a big problem."
The area was pounded with heavy rains Monday as a wet and warm tropical weather system originating from Hawaii hit Canada's west coast.
This is the area's second emergency declaration in the region in as many months.
In November, the city ordered evacuations when four local rivers breeched their banks.
Phelps said this round of flooding has the potential of being much worse because there is already a higher water accumulation in the city boundaries.
"The reservoir is at capacity and over capacity and we're spilling out as much as we can during low tides or slack tide periods," he said.
The Comox Lake reservoir is currently a metre higher than average levels.
British Columbia's River Forecast centre says many of the rivers around Courtenay have high water marks but will recede as heavy rains ease.
The centre has upgraded its warnings to include the Browns, Tsolum and Puntledge Rivers near Courtenay, as well as the Nanaimo River, near Nanaimo.
It says the Tsolum River through Courtenay has not yet peaked.
Environment Canada ended its rainfall warning for Vancouver Island Tuesday, predicting only light and scattered rains today and tomorrow. The temperature is expected to cool.
Another warm and wet frontal system is expected to push across the area beginning Thursday.
