Overnight rains cause more flooding - Some homes inundated for second time in weeks

Just weeks after being slammed by a hundred-year storm that left more than 1,100 homes flooded, some Hamilton residents are facing another deluge of water from the rain overnight Friday.

City councillors say residents on the Mountain and at least one home in the downtown area have been affected. The east end of the city was particularly hard hit last time around but it's unclear whether they were hit again by last night's rains.

The city is looking into setting up a hotline to field calls from flooded residents. It is not yet known how many homes have been affected.

One resident said they had just cashed their $1,000 compassionate grant cheque from the city and now their recreation room is flooded again.

In a series of emails Saturday morning, which included city staff, some councillors expressed concern about the situation. Downtown councillor Bob Bratina called the situation "critical."

Councillor Scott Duvall, Ward 7, said he was getting calls from residents who say "the catch basins would not drain" and water came up through the sewer line into their basements.

He questioned staff as to whether any checks in affected areas had been done since the last flood and asked if a hotline was being setup. Councillor Sam Merulla, whose ward includes east end residents slammed by the last flood, said he supported getting a hotline up and going as soon as possible.

And the problems may not be over yet. According to the forecast, the city may be in for more rain.

The Weather Network says there's a 40 per cent chance of showers Saturday afternoon and evening, but the prediction is for less than 1 mm of rain during each period. Sunday is supposed to be dry, with only a 20 per cent chance of rain.