JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Governor Mike Dunleavy has amended his May 15 State Disaster Declaration and activated the State of Alaska Public Assistance and Individual Assistance Disaster Recovery programs in the following areas.
- NW Arctic Borough (Buckland, Kobuk, Noatak)
- Iditarod REAA (McGrath)
- Lower Kuskokwim REAA (Kwethluk)
- Lower Yukon REAA (St. Mary’s and potentially others).
- This is in addition to the Alaska Gateway, Yukon Flats, Kuspuk, and Copper River REAAs which were declared on May 13.
Public Assistance can reimburse communities for emergency protective measures associated with the disaster event and can fund repairs to damaged critical infrastructure. Individual Assistance can provide grants to individuals and families to repair their homes, pay for essential needs, and provide temporary housing.
State of Alaska Individual Assistance Program
Registration for Individual Assistance for the 2023 Spring Flooding Disaster will open on Wednesday, May 24, 2023
On May 24, disaster survivors can call the state’s Disaster Assistance Hotline at (844) 445-7131 to register over the phone. Online registration will be available at ready.alaska.gov after May 24, 2023.
Information about the State of Alaska Individual Assistance program can be found at ready.alaska.gov/flood or ready.alaska.gov/Recovery/IA.
Significant Operations Updates
Yukon
The Riverwatch Middle Yukon Division has been demobilized. The breakup front is now near Russian Mission. Riverwatch, with surveillance by air, provides advance warning of local community ice jam flood risk until the ice front passes. Once the ice front passes, snow melt flood risk may continue to threaten communities.
Active response is ongoing to communities across the Upper and Middle Yukon River with flood impacts.
- Ruby: Active flooding in progress. No ice jam is present, high water from Yukon.
- Galena: Minor flooding in progress. Water is up to the Tiger Highway. Water around some homes.
- Russian Mission: Active flooding in progress. Airport is closed with two feet of water over the runway. Lower community evacuated 10 homes to upper part of the community.
- Ft. Yukon: Active flooding from both the Porcupine and Yukon rivers. Airport VOR affected. Nine buildings damaged.
- Stevens Village: Flooding in progress but no current evacuations. Evacuation location at the Yukon River Lodge if required.
- Circle: An Alaska Organized Militia (AKOM) team comprised of Air Guard, Army Guard, and Alaska Defense Force arrived in Fairbanks yesterday and will deploy to Circle today to assist the community with debris cleanup. Team Rubicon deployed a volunteer reconnaissance Team to evaluate community needs and scope the work required to assist residents with residential flood damage cleanup.
A team from the Alaska Division of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Spill Prevention and Response (SPAR) will deploy to provide additional spill response supplies, establish a local hazardous waste collection point, and complete additional hazards assessments. To date, Red Cross reports 6 homes destroyed, 10 with major damage, 5 with minor damage, and 3 inaccessible. Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) reports community well head was cleared and appears undamaged.
Tanana: High water reported around community.
Northwest Arctic Borough (NWAB)
Kobuk: SEOC received reports of flooding in Kobuk. NWAB is aware and ready to engage in response report if needed.
Buckland: NWAB engaged in flood response support to local community.
Kuskokwim Riverwatch demobilized.
Crooked Creek Division: An AKOM arrived in Bethel yesterday and will be working today to support Crooked Creek and Kwethluk with debris clean up. Donated disaster relief supplies were delivered yesterday and the Salvation Army and American Red Cross are coordinating delivery of food supplies and shelter support operations. Tents for first responder lodging and a command post are ordered.
Kwethluk:
Flood waters receding. Two homes, roads, and multiple vehicles damaged by flooding. No public structures inundated. AKOM servicemember on State Active Duty orders assisting the community.
GLENNALLEN
One section of the Copper River with 3 unoccupied houses lost 30 feet of riverbank. Homeowners are actively engaged in moving structures to safety.
On Wednesday, May 24th at 5:30pm, The State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is holding a public meeting for those affected by the 2023 Spring Flood in Glennallen. Please join to discuss individual assistance programs, small business administration disaster loans and long-term recovery efforts for the community. A taskforce of State Individual Assistance and Public Assistance will deploy to the community Thursday to assist with individual disaster program registration and information.
For Current Flood Warnings, Watches, and Advisories see https://www.weather.gov/arh/
Resources:
- Flood Response and Recovery Information: www.Ready.Alaska.Gov/Flood
- Overview of the River Watch program: https://youtu.be/NcdHTMlKaKMd
- Break up map at https://www.weather.gov/aprfc/breakupMap
- Fresh Eyes on Ice https://www.facebook.com/groups/FreshEyesOnIce
- Flood Preparedness Checklist Link
- National Weather Service Flood Info: Flood Warnings, Watches or Statements (weather.gov)
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