Fort Good Hope (May 16/05) - Elders and families in Fort Good Hope were evacuated from their homes last Wednesday as flood waters lapped at their back doors.

Eight seniors from the elders home and seven families with homes near the shoreline had to move to higher ground or find accommodations with family and friends, said Fred Rabisca, acting SAO.

"I have no idea when they will return, the ice is so unpredictable and the water may still rise."

Rabisca estimated Thursday the water level in the community was already more than a metre high.

By noon Wednesday, three days after break up, and a few hours after water levels were noticeably higher, a creekside road had been washed out.

"We're now monitoring the bridge to the airport. The water level is high there and the gravel is deteriorating," said Rabisca.

"There are a lot of concerns here right now," resident David Cook said, noting that the last serious flood was in the 1960s.

"I haven't seen anything like this in my time," said band councillor Paul T'Seleie who has lived in the community since 1982.

With the threat still real, a helicopter has been stationed in the community to evacuate any residents who were out on the land at the time of flooding.

Community members are pitching in to help wherever they can and the NWT Power Corp. cut off service in some areas to prevent the main swithchboard from burning out, said Rabisca.

"Right now what we're doing is making sure the community members are safe. We'll deal with the damage later."