Residents of Lunenburg, N.S., awoke Sunday to the closure of the emergency department at Fishermen's Memorial Hospital.

The ER was forced to close for 24 hours due to a shortage of nurses available to cover shifts, Janet Sears, of South Shore Health, told CBCNews.ca.

"It's not something that happens often, but from time to time, it is an issue," she said.

Closing the ER is always a last resort, stressed Sears. "Obviously every other avenue would be explored first."

The closure, which took effect Sunday at 7:30 a.m., is expected to continue until Monday at 7:30 a.m.

Area residents requiring emergency services are advised to call 911, or visit South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater, which is about a 20-minute drive away, said Sears.

South Shore Health appreciates the public's understanding and apologizes for any inconvenience the temporary closure may cause, she said.

Nurse recruitment efforts are ongoing, she added.