KASHECHEWAN, Ont. -- A northern Ontario community was being evacuated of all remaining residents Tuesday due to ice break-ups and the risk of flooding in Kashechewan First Nation.
Indigenous Services Canada says 1,460 people had been flown out of the community on the west shore of James Bay by Tuesday afternoon, with about 140 more to go.
But it says about 40 people will stay behind "for security and to ensure the integrity of infrastructure."
The Canadian Armed Forces says it assisted in the evacuation, taking approximately 100 people from Kashechewan.
Canadian Rangers have been assisting the community with voluntary evacuations since April 26, and a Griffon helicopter and Hercules aircraft were brought in Monday due to the risk of floodwaters overtaking the airport.
Spring evacuations have been an annual headache in Kashechewan due to the flood threat.
In both 2016 and 2017, several hundred people had to be flown to Kapuskasing and Thunder Bay due to significant ice jams upriver.
This year, ice upstream along the Albany River melted suddenly, and as the water quickly rose, the remaining ice was pushed downstream and caused jams and blockages.
