Homeowners suffered flood damage after heavy rains caused a mid-island creek to breach its banks – and they're bracing for more.

Carolyn Soucie lives next to French Creek, between Parksville and Qualicum Beach, and says she watched in horror as water levels surged on Sunday.

"It wasn't long before it was just gushing through here, punched a hole through there and out the other side," she said.

In another nearby home, renter Kelly Thomas said her basement suite was flooded with about 30 centimetres of water.

"It was just coming up through the floor and it happened pretty quickly," she said.

The floodwaters damaged a number of valuable items, some of which are irreplaceable memories.

"Family photos, I put them up on something, but the water knocked over the things so they're kind of wet," she said.

The Regional District of Nanaimo dished out sandbags for homeowners to protect their properties.

While the water has receded in some areas for now, concern remains island-wide as temperatures rise and snow in the mountains begins to melt.

"The runoff associated with that thaw, along with the heavy rains that we've already had and will have throughout the weekend, that is definitely a concern for a lot of the streams and the rivers on the island," said CTV meteorologist Astrid Braunschmidt.

Further south in Duncan, Cowichan Bay Road has been closed because of floodwater.

High streamflow advisories are in place for a number of rivers and tributaries from North Cowichan to the Comox Valley, where an aqua dam has been installed as a precaution.

With no dry spell in sight, many residents are left to wait – and worry.

"If this can happen once, who says it can't happen again," said Soucie.

With a report from CTV Vancouver Island's Jessica Lepp