Canada is sending the military to help evacuate and support communities hit by "catastrophic" flooding, and the death toll is expected to rise after record rainfall on the Pacific coast triggered a state of emergency Wednesday.

Officials said downpours in British Columbia this week trapped motorists in mudslides that left at least one dead and four missing and forced thousands of people to flee their homes. The floods also resulted in cutting off Vancouver and its port.

Ahead of meeting with his US and Mexican counterparts in Washington, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the heavy rains caused "historical and terrible flooding that has disrupted the lives and taken lives of people across BC."

"I can confirm there are hundreds of Canadian Armed Forces members currently headed to British Columbia to help with everything from supplies to evacuation to whatever is needed," he said.

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British Columbia Premier John Horgan declared a state of emergency, imposed a travel ban, and told reporters "catastrophic" rains, winds, and flooding "have devastated entire communities of our province."

"We expect to confirm even more fatalities in the coming days," he pointed out.

Horgan explained that "these events are increasing in regularity because of the effects of human-caused climate change."

This comes just days after world leaders met in Glasgow for the COP26 climate conference.

Meanwhile, searches continue for more possible victims, after a woman's body was recovered from a mudslide near Lillooet, 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast of Vancouver.