Hundreds to be airlifted from flood-threatened Ontario communities

by Rob Peters | April 28, 2008 at 08:26 am

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The Albany River in northern Ontario has overflowed due to a large backlog of ice, forcing the evacuations of about 2,000 people.

Residents are expected to be away from their homes for six to eight weeks, according to the CBC.

TORONTO — An airlift of the remaining some 1,100 people from the flood-threatened Kashechewan area in northern Ontario is to begin Monday.

They'll be flown to Perth County municipalities in southern Ontario, including Stratford, East Perth and St. Marys. More than 730 residents were evacuated from Kashechewan and Fort Albany Sunday after the airlift had been halted because of poor weather.

Another 23 people from a medical clinic in Attawapiskat were flown to Winnipeg and northern Ontario to escape the fast-rising Albany River.

More than half of the 415 people evacuated from Kashechewan are being housed in Cochrane while the others are in Geraldton and Sudbury.

Most of the 333 residents airlifted from Fort Albany are Kapuskasing while the others are in Hearst and other northeast communities.

Mr. Radford said the 980-kilometre river has overflowed its banks due to a large backlog of ice and a fast flow of water.

The river, which empties into James Bay, has only one dike, which leaves officials with little control over the flooding.

Mr. Radford said a total of 2,000 people will be removed from their homes.