Evacuees Heading Home
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 at 14:53
The first wave of buses carrying evacuees from the Red Earth First Nation has begun to return home.
Prince Albert Grand Council spokesman Richard Kent says all of the 632 residents who were taken off the reserve last week because of flooding should be back tonight.
Kent says evacuees will have to deal with a lot of mud and standing water — but the area is safe.
He notes the three main criteria authorities took into consideration before deciding to allow residents back home was drinking water safety, housing inspections and road safety.
He says all of these have been met.
He also says crews have been working to make sure mould doesn’t become an issue in the 21 homes that took on groundwater.
Kent adds pumps are still working to channel water away from the reserve, but that’s about the only anti-flood measures that are being taken right now.
A truckload of food is scheduled to arrive on the reserve tomorrow.
Meantime, Kent says there is no reason to think flooding will be a problem at the Beardy’s/Okemasis and Yellowquill reserves.
The Fishing Lake region is still feeling the full effects of the spring flooding, but officials at the local First Nation there say they haven’t been affected.