Needs and concerns for snowstorm evacuees from more than a dozen Manitoba First Nations communities are mounting.

The Canadian Red Cross says there are 5,700 registered evacuees in Winnipeg, Brandon and Dauphin.

First Nations leaders from communities that have evacuated said the main reasons they had to leave include a lack of fuel, buildings big enough to keep people warm and cell phone and landline communication.

Red Cross spokesperson Jason Small tells CTV News the vast majority of evacuees are staying with friends and family or in a hotel. About 120 are staying at the RBC Convention Centre. On Sunday chiefs told CTV News hotel rooms in Winnipeg were full.

Small said the Red Cross is providing meals for families during their stay.

Rene Smoke is an evacuee from Dakota Plains First Nation with a four-month-old baby. He said he was first assigned to stay at Convention Centre when he arrived with his family in Winnipeg.

Because it was not an ideal accommodation, he said, he took it upon himself to find a hotel room for his family, but they are still required to travel to the Convention Centre for meals, three times a day.

Smoke said this was difficult for families with small children and the elderly with mobility issues.

Lake Manitoba Chief Cornell McLean is also chairman of the Interlake Reserves Tribal Council. It represents half a dozen first nations caught in the path of the storm.

Mclean said the situation is getting better for evacuees overall as they get settled, but when they will be able to return is not clear.

Eight-hundred people from Lake Manitoba First Nation left their homes because of the storm, McLean said.

There are 100 poles down in the community, he said.

At the moment he hopes his members can return Saturday, but it’s not a sure thing. McLean said he is getting an update from Manitoba Hydro.

Manitoba Hydro said Monday it could be a week to 10 days before power is restored in the hardest hit areas.

Voting concerns for Oct. 21

With federal election day less than a week away, there are questions about where and when evacuees will be able to vote.

Elections Canada spokesperson Marie-France Kenny tells CTV it’s doing everything it can to come up with a plan, but so far no details are available.

Over the weekend dozens of advance polls were closed or closed temporarily.

“The Act forbids us to extend advance polls, but we are looking at other possibilities to ramp up services for election day,” said Kenny in an email to CTV News.

Evacuees in Winnipeg suddenly without shelter

Some evacuees previously in hotel rooms say they are being to suddenly find alternative accommodations.

Leona Sanderson is from Peguis First Nation and is with seven other family members.

On Tuesday she was told they could no longer stay at the Delta. The Bear Clan Patrol drove them to the Victoria Inn where they are waiting for word on where they can spend the night.

Sanderson said she is tired and frustrated.

In an email to CTV News, the Canadian Red Cross said it appreciates there are a lot of challenges as it works with First Nations communities and leaders to make sure they have everything they need, including meals.

“We are working with the communities and evacuees to address these concerns,” said spokesperson Jason Small.

“As for the issue with people no longer having hotel rooms, the Red Cross is working with the community leadership to identify hotels where there is no longer rooms available or where bookings have run out and are working to find a place to stay for everyone impacted by this.”