Engineers are being brought in to assess the flooding situation at the James Smith Cree Nation.

Forty people were evacuated from the reserve after overland water cut off their homes from the rest of the community.

Robert Head is the chief of the Peter Chapman band, one of three First Nations in the area.

He says engineers will be assessing the entire road system and what needs for long-term stability.

“So what they’re going to do is create a proposal to update and upgrade all of our road systems so we have our main thoroughfares open and they’re up to the provincial standards on the grid system,” he says.

Head adds many of the roads have soft spots which vehicles are constantly getting stuck in.

An official with the government says long-term work will be needed to get the main road to the community back into shape.

The evacuees are staying in Prince Albert for the time being.

Meanwhile, the community of Sturgeon Landing is also dealing with flooding problems.

Colin King is the deputy commissioner of emergency management for the province and he says they’ve sent some heavy machinery to the village to help deal with the situation.

We’ve sent some equipment, some sand bags and some other types of flood protection to protect the structures that are in place in the community,” he says.

King adds Manitoba Hydro has also sent in some help, as well.

Sturgeon Landing is connected to Cumberland Lake.

Officials also say Hwy 2, just south of Prince Albert, has been reopened to traffic.

Water had crossed the road in two different locations but has since been pumped out.

Culverts were also replaced to help deal with future potential flooding.