Montreal declares state of emergency after floods

The Canadian city of Montreal has declared a state of emergency following floods caused by torrential rains, media reported.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre declared a state of emergency on Sunday afternoon, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.

The order will remain in effect for at least 48 hours, giving the city in Quebec province the power to more effectively and quickly address the situation.

The move comes after three dikes gave way in the city's Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough.

Homes were already evacuated in that neighbourhood, as well as on the two nearby islands, Ile-Bizard and Ile-Mercier.

Floodwaters in the province were expected to peak on Monday due to continuing rain.

Across Quebec, nearly 1,900 homes have already been flooded across 126 towns and cities, CBC quoted authorities as saying.

Some 1,200 troops have reportedly been deployed to help evacuate people.

The flooding is not limited to Quebec, and unusually high rainfall has also caused flooding in the province of Ontario, reports the BBC.

Lake Ontario has reached a water level not seen since 1993.

Warmer temperatures have also caused snow to melt in British Columbia in Canada's west, combining with the rain to cause flooding and mudslides.