At least 20 homes were affected by flash floods in British Columbia's interior as heavy rain caused the highway across Canada near Kamloops to close overnight.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District activated its emergency operations center on Monday for residents affected by the floods in the community of Savona west of Kamloops.

The regional district stated that no injuries or damage to critical infrastructure had been reported, but officials are working with residents of at least 20 homes affected by floodwaters.

Interior Health said in a statement posted on social media on Monday that residents of the Savona area reported a sewage smell around their homes following the floods.

Health officials say that floodwaters should always be considered contaminated and should be avoided as a result, while Interior Health advises anyone with household plumbing or a slow-draining septic field that smells of sewage to contact a certified repair person to handle the problem.

Highway Closure Across Canada

British Columbia's Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure closed a section of the Trans-Canada Highway through Savona in both directions on Sunday night due to flooding.

The highway and nearby access roads were fully reopened overnight, but the ministry warned drivers that speeds would be reduced while road crews worked to mitigate damage to the highway.

With additional rain expected in the area, the ministry told CTV News in a statement that the highway could be closed again "immediately, if necessary."

Videos posted on social media showed floodwaters rushing down slopes across the highway before the closure.

The ministry stated that repair and cleanup of the highways is expected to take several days, and travelers should expect to see road workers and traffic monitoring personnel in the area.

Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the interior region on Sunday afternoon, warning that the approaching storm could produce large hail, destructive winds, flash flooding, and heavy rain.

The severe weather conditions remained in effect until Monday.

The regional district urges residents in the area to subscribe to the local emergency alert notification system for the latest updates on the floods.

Anyone whose property has been affected by floods in the Thompson-Nicola area is advised to contact the emergency operations center at 250-377-7188.