Red Earth Evacuees Cleared To Return Home

Red Earth Evacuees Cleared To Return Home

Monday, April 24, 2006 at 15:02

 

 

Over 500 evacuees of the Red Earth First Nation are heading back to their homes today.

 

The remaining evacuated residents were given the all-clear to return today, after flood waters receded

to acceptable levels over the weekend.

 

A few hundred evacuees returned to the southern portion of the reserve on Saturday.

 

Evacuees from the northern part of the reserve, and those with special health needs, began returning to Red Earth this morning.

 

By the end of the day, all of the roughly 900 people who were forced to leave will be back in the community.

 

They have been staying in shelters in Prince Albert and Saskatoon since the flooding forced them to leave Red Earth 10 days ago.

 

Prince Albert Grand Council spokesman Richard Kent says the few buildings and homes that took on water have been pumped out.

 

Kent says workers are attempting to dry out those structures as much as possible, and so far, they haven’t discovered any mould.

 

He adds it could take months before the true cost of the flooding is known.