JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – The State Emergency Operations Center is staffed at Preparedness Level 3-responding to multiple disaster incidents throughout the state. Governor Mike Dunleavy declared a disaster emergency on May 7, for the Yukon Koyukuk Regional Education Attendance Area in response to the flooding in Manley Hot Springs.
Manley Hot Springs:
- The National Weather Service Alaska Pacific River Forecast Center has canceled the flood warning for Manley Hot Springs. As water levels recede, the SEOC-deployed division supervisor is working with the Tanana Chiefs Conference, local tribal authorities, and the Village Public Safety Officer to support utility restoration, disaster response operations, and damage assessment.
- TCC is supporting emergency feeding operations at the Manley Hot Springs Resort. Several TCC vehicles with emergency supplies such as fuel, water, food, diapers, and other emergency supplies arrived May 9.
- The American Red Cross of Alaska and Northern Region Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster delivered emergency supplies to Manley by aircraft. Red Cross is working in the community today to provide disaster assistance and clean-up kits.
- FirstNet by AT&T deployed an emergency cellular phone network for responders and GCI is working to restore normal cellular service.
- Additional response assets from the Alaska Departments of Transportation & Public Facilities and Environmental Conservation are mobilizing to support response and initial recovery operations.
Kuskokwim – Crooked Creek, Red Devil and Sleetmute:
- Flood waters receded in Crooked Creek Red Devil, and Sleetmute. The NWS canceled all Flood Watches or Warnings for the Kuskokwim River. High water and moving river ice is reported, but additional ice-jam flooding is not anticipated.
- The Kuskokwim River Watch Team visited Sleetmute yesterday, met with tribal authorities, and supported an initial life-safety assessment of flood damage. They were also in direct contact with tribal authorities in Red Devil. Both communities have declared a local disaster emergency.
- Red Devil reports damages to their airstrip, roads and one home. Sleetmute reports flood inundation into at least five homes, with other homes having wet insulation, damaged vehicles, and flood damaged freezers. Sleetmute also reported damage to roads, the dump, the cemetery, and tribal equipment. Damage assessment in both communities is ongoing.
- The Kuskokwim River Watch team will demobilize tomorrow, but SEOC will continue with a deployed Kuskokwim division supervisor in Bethel to coordinate flood response with the Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation, Association of Village Council Presidents, and other responding agencies.
Upper Yukon:
- A Flood Warning continues for the Yukon Flats and surrounding uplands near Circle. An ice jam is in place about six miles below Circle, causing some flooding of low-lying areas last night, but water is now receding. Minimal ice exists upriver from the ice jam with degraded ice below the jam.
- Today the Upper Yukon River Watch Division landed in Circle, to assess flood impacts and briefed the community on river conditions.
- Upper Yukon River Watch Division is continuing their aerial reconnaissance today, with reports on conditions in Fort Yukon, Beaver, and Stevens Village as they follow the ice front downriver.
Glennallen:
- Snow melt flooding has been reported in several areas near Glennallen. Moose Creek and two other streams are out of their banks and are flooding homes and community buildings. As of 8 a.m. all roads were passable.
- The Alaska State Troopers are communicating with Glennallen community leaders and monitoring flooding.
- The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has placed concrete barriers along Moose Creek to help minimize flooding.
- SEOC is deploying sandbags to Glennallen Fire Department to support the local flood response.
Lowell Point Road
- The City of Seward and the Kenia Peninsula Borough are responding to the Lowell Point Road landslide. Seward and KPB report they have sufficient resources to address road clearing activities and have not requested State assistance.
- A Division of Geological and Geophysical Survey Geologist has been providing technical assistance to evaluate the slide area and slope stability.
- Water taxies are able to transport people to either side of the landslide.
Up-to-date river forecast information can be found at the Alaska River Forecast Center website https://www.weather.gov/aprfc/. Follow on social media at #riverwatch22
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