Up to 400 evacuees from High River could be settling in for the long haul in Lethbridge, where they are expected to take up residence in vacated dorm rooms.

The Town of High River is still under a full evacuation order due to the danger of water, sinkholes, and unsafe roads.

A staged re-entry for residents is being finalized and will be implemented as soon as the area is deemed safe.

Officials say three of the town's ten sewage stations remain under water and work to drain out all the standing water is ongoing.

Five building inspectors are going  from house to house and business to business checking for issues.

Animal control officers are also trying to reunite lost pets with their owners and have rescued 430 pets so far.

RCMP say there is still one person unaccounted for since the flooding began on June 20.

At one time that number was as high as 25 but those people were located once evacuees started registering at the evacuation centres.

Tension has been continuing to rise, with many disgruntled residents desperate to get into the community to see the condition of their homes.

Premier Alison Redford said on Wednesday that she agrees with the decisions made by Blokland, saying it was too soon for anyone to enter the town.

Redford also said that the province is placing High River high on its priority list and residents are receiving pre-loaded debit cards to help them cover many of their vital needs.

A plan is currently being formulated to get people back into their homes as quickly and safely as possible.

In the meantime, those who remain unable to return home due to flooding, should first register with the Red Cross through redcross.ca or call 1-866-696-6484.

The Town of High River has said it is waiving the June 30 deadline for property taxes and alternate arrangements will be made soon.

A Government of Alberta call centre has been established to answer question from residents affected by flooding. Call 310-4455 and a volunteer will direct your call to the appropriate agency.

Debit cards are also available to help with immediate housing needs:

  • Register with the Red Cross first
  • Proceed to processing site in Nanton or Vulcan
  • Bring Social insurance and photo id, proof of residence and proof of household connections to show relationships with a spouse of partner and dependents

Hours for debit processing sites:

  • June 27: noon to 9 p.m. - High River evacuees (A-L last names and those wishing to relocate to Lethbridge today)
  • June 28: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. - High River evacuees (M-Z last names)
  • June 29: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. - any High River evacuees
  • June 30: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. - any High River evacuees

Those who did not evacuate their homes are not eligible for this funding.

More debit processing sites will be set up in the next few days to take care of those evacuees in additional centres.

For more information, visit the Town of High River website.