Home owners in already-flooded areas are struggling to save their houses from damage after at least 40 millimetres of rain fell yesterday. And residents of the Toronto Islands, the eastern Beaches and along the lakefront in Bowmanville are bracing themselves for even more rainfall on Friday.

Dozens of workers on Cedar Crest Beach Road in Bowmanville once again spent some time putting sandbags along homes in an effort to protect them from another major flood on Friday morning.

“It was pretty wild,” said resident Keith Martin, “I wasn’t out much. I was in the house (looking) after the pumps.”

Residents and crews did what they could on Thursday as waves pummeled the shoreline. Water poured through backyards and over the roadway, leaving behind trails of damage.

“The waves just come overtop and the water pools…so we’ve got three pumps going and so far (water) isn’t in the house,” said Martin.

Another resident, Wayne Fernandes, said watching the area be destroyed was heartbreaking.

“It's shocking to see the level of erosion they've been losing feet of their lawn or their yard pretty much with every storm,” said Fernandes.

The open outfall from the marsh is now helping to drain the floodwater. Nine workers with the Ministry of Natural Resources were going door to door, along with around 40 firefighters and volunteers, on Friday to help residents. Ten thousand sandbags have been used in an attempt to stop flooding and another 20,000 have been brought in.

“We’re kind of building walls closer to the house so their pumps have less water to worry about, to mitigate,” said Claringdon Fire Chief Gordon Weir.

Some residents, however, are still concerned the sandbags won’t be enough with the lake levels at an all-time high.

“We need protection on the lake,” said Martin.

“You know, a better lake barrier.”

Only one home has been evacuated. Officials continue to monitor the situation in Bowmanville. Meanwhile, about 50 per cent of the land on the Toronto Islands is now underwater. Park staff continue to work with residents to protect their homes and properties. Officials now say it is unlikely the islands will be open to the public by July 1.