Hundreds evacuated from northern Ontario First Nation
Digital Reporter
Sunday, May 11, 2014, 10:19 AM -
Kashechewan First Nation has declared a new state of emergency due to flooding, just days after rescinding a similar declaration
Flooding along the Albany River prompted both declarations, the first of which prompted the evacuation of 130 people in the Kashechewan and Fort Albany First Nations before being cancelled on Thursday as flood conditions eased.
This latest declaration, issued Saturday, affects 685 residents, including seniors, children and people needing medical care.
Emergency Management Ontario said 161 people were expected to have been evacuated to Thunder Bay by Saturday night, with evacuation flights starting up again Sunday morning.
Kashechewan,Ontario. #flood #icebreakup pic.twitter.com/Wy4lp0Yx7q
— Beat Koosees (@myloveKelsey) May 10, 2014
By the time the airlift is completed, 389 are expected to be moved to Thunder Bay, with the remainder being flown to the community of Greenstone. Thunder Bay has signed an emergency declaration to prepare for the influx from the affected community.
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is in the process of bringing heavy duty water pumps this weekend in a bid to keep the flood waters back.
With files from the Canadian Press.
