Expect more floods, wildfires and other natural disasters than ever before, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned Thursday as he toured flood-ravaged Quebec province, citing climate change as the reason.

"The frequency of extreme weather events is increasing," Trudeau told reporters on the ground after the helicopter tour. "And that's related to climate change.

"So we're going to have to understand that bracing for a hundred-year storm is maybe going to happen every ten years now or every few years."

Over the past three weeks, a large swath of land from the capital Ottawa downriver to Montreal and beyond have been flooded as a combination of torrential rains and the spring runoff from melting snow caused rivers to overflow their banks.

Nearly 3,000 residents have been evacuated, and 4,000 homes in low-lying areas were flooded.

The military has sent in about 2,200 soldiers to help pile sandbags, secure critical infrastructure and aid in evacuations.

On Thursday a warship was also rerouted to the region to join in aid efforts.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said waters are starting to recede in the western edge of the province after cresting earlier this week.

But, he warned eastern parts of the province to brace for the flow now headed their way.

Climate Change to cause more floods in Canada: Trudeau
Montreal (AFP) May 11, 2017 - Expect more floods, wildfires and other natural disasters than ever before, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned Thursday as he toured flood-ravaged Quebec province, citing climate change as the reason.

"The frequency of extreme weather events is increasing," Trudeau told reporters on the ground after the helicopter tour. "And that's related to climate change.

"So we're going to have to understand that bracing for a hundred-year storm is maybe going to happen every ten years now or every few years."

Over the past three weeks, a large swath of land from the capital Ottawa downriver to Montreal and beyond have been flooded as a combination of torrential rains and the spring runoff from melting snow caused rivers to overflow their banks.

Nearly 3,000 residents have been evacuated, and 4,000 homes in low-lying areas were flooded.

The military has sent in about 2,200 soldiers to help pile sandbags, secure critical infrastructure and aid in evacuations.

On Thursday a warship was also rerouted to the region to join in aid efforts.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard said waters are starting to recede in the western edge of the province after cresting earlier this week.

But, he warned eastern parts of the province to brace for the flow now headed their way.

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Canada's army rolls in after devastating floods
Pierrefonds, Canada (AFP) May 8, 2017
Canada mobilized its army to help thousands of flood victims try to hold back waters and save their homes Monday after the worst flood in half a century struck, but authorities were optimistic that rising water levels would soon crest. Several rivers and lakes have overflowed their banks in Quebec province, between Gatineau in the Canadian capital region and Montreal 200 kilometers (125 mile ... read more

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