In what seems like an annual tradition, residents of the First Nations community of Kashechewan are on the move due to a potential spring flood.

In a release sent by Kapuskasing CAO Guylain Baril, there is potential for community flooding in Kashechewan due to ice break-up with the spring temperatures peering it’s head.

“The dyke system surrounding the Kashechewan First Nations (FN) community has been assessed as ineffective against ice flows at the community,” the release states.

“There is no immediate threat to the community at this time and an evacuation is a deliberate precautionary measure to ensure the safety of all residents.”

Evacuations started on Sunday, with an intended 450-500 residents being sent to Kapuskasing.

Baril tells our Rogers Media newsroom this is the 11th year they’ve hosted evacuees from the area.  He adds 317 evacuees came in Sunday and are anticipating another 100 each on Monday and Tuesday.

In addition, Baril mentions Kapuskasing is still housing some long-term evacuees from flooding two years ago.

“We had as many as 460 a few months ago that were waiting for their houses to be reconstructed,” he said, “We had repatriated about 260 of them so we still (have) 200 long-term evacuees in Kapuskasing.”

The newest evacuees will be lodged in local motels with meals and emergency supplies provided at the Civic Centre Auditorium.

Others will be directed to other host communities, and plans are underway to identify more communities that evacuees can go to.

Smooth Rock Falls is reportedly taking about 100 evacuees.  There are other communities like Cochrane, Hearst, Wawa, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay and Cornwall have all been known to take displaced residents before that could be involved, but that hasn’t been confirmed for this situation.

“The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is coordinating flight schedules accordingly with the First Nation and the host communities,” the release added.

“Flights will continue to arrive throughout the week—weather permitting—until the first phase is completed which are residents with most vulnerability or with special needs are safely established in Kapuskasing.”

More aircraft is also being sought after for subsequent phases of the evacuation.

This is the sixth straight year residents have to evacuate the community, located on the flood plain of the Albany River.

Meantime, Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus says local officials and those from the province will monitor the ice as open water moves towards the reserve where roughly 2,000 people live.

Angus says the ice could easily jam, which would cause the nearby areas to quickly flood because a dyke could fail.

He says the community is expected to sit down soon with representatives from the federal and provincial government to discuss relocation to higher ground.

(With files from The Canadian Press)

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