Kashechewan evacuated due to spring flooding

Kashechewan First Nation’s 2,000 residents were evacuated May 12 following an initial evacuation two days earlier of 685 as the Albany River overflowed. Evacuees were flown to Thunder Bay, Greenstone, Kapuskasing and the NAV Centre in Cornwall. Trained disaster management volunteers are registering evacuees and providing for personal needs, such as baby supplies and hygiene items. “The Canadian Red Cross has been working closely with officials to provide support as the flooding situation along the James Bay coast evolves,” said Louise Geoffrion, provincial director of disaster management with the Canadian Red Cross. Last year, spring flooding forced about 150 evacuees to take refuge in Thunder Bay. Also last year, 40 homes were damaged by sewage back-up. Those same homes have been hit this year.