Hundreds evacuate Kashechewan First Nation

Officials say that the evacuation of medically vulnerable residents of Kashechewan First Nation began over Easter weekend.

The evacuation of medically vulnerable residents of Kashechewan First Nation began over Easter weekend.

Officials told CTV News, around 530 people have been relocated from their homes due to the threat of flooding on the Albany River.

Officials would not reveal where people have been sent -- to protect their safety -- but said they’ve gone to two sites in northern Ontario and one in southern Ontario.

While they said no flooding has occurred yet, they are monitoring the river closely.

“There’s a lot of snow on the muskeg, along the riverbanks,” said Joe Tom Sayers, acting chief executive officer of ISN Maskwa Inc.

“There’s signs of thawing and water kind of moving (in) different sections of the river, but, yeah, there’s certainly a lot more snow this year and a lot more, ice packs, so to speak, or snowpack.”

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“If it’s a rapid thaw, it could be a lot of water very fast, which would increase the risk, so we’re keeping a close eye on that, on those factors,” Sayers added.

He said the plan is to evacuate another 330 community members Wednesday.