Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 13/99) - While the entire Keewatin region mourned for the tragic loss of life resulting from the New Year's Day avalanche at the small community of Kangiqsualujjuaq in Quebec, the disaster struck closer to the heart of Rankin Inlet's Lynn Rudd, an addictions worker with Aqsaaraq Addiction Projects.

Rudd spent close to three years in the mid-'90s in the small Quebec community nestled at the mouth of the George River on Ungava Bay. Four adults and five children died at about 2 a.m. Jan. 1 when an avalanche cascaded down the sheer face of a 365-metre cliff and tonnes of snow ripped through the wall of a school gymnasium where about 500 of the community's 600 residents had gathered to celebrate the new year.

All of the children killed in the disaster were under eight years of age. In addition to the nine fatalities, 25 more were injured with 12 having to be flown to Montreal hospitals.

Rudd recalls her time spent in Kangiqsualujjuaq as a very memorable experience and describes the hamlet as a warm and caring community.

"Everyone in that community know each other and they're very supportive of anything that's going on there," says Rudd. "We became very close with a couple there (Peter and Minnie Morgan) who babysat our daughter from a newborn until we left.

"They kind of unofficially adopted our daughter and still keep in close contact with us."

A number of communities across Nunavut have set up relief funds to try and help the grief stricken community and Rudd has worked in Rankin Inlet to gather money and other items to help, as well.

With the help of the Northern Store and the Umingmal Supply Co., Rudd says every little bit they're able to pull together will be a tremendous help to the community.

"Doing something like this is very important because it will show everyone how united Northern people are," says Rudd. "Not just Inuit, but all Northern people."

Rudd spoke to the Morgan family shortly after the disaster and says the entire community, understandably, is in a state of shock and probably will be for quite some time.

"I spoke to them the night after it happened and they hadn't slept since the morning before. They had been helping out with the search and rescue efforts and at the nursing station. The common feeling throughout the town there right now is just a feeling of grief and a state of shock."