State and response partners actively engaged in flood response as of May 17th, 2023. State Emergency Operation Center Activation Level: 3 – Ongoing Response.
The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) is actively responding to flooding in communities on the Yukon River, Kuskokwim River, Glennallen, and other areas of the state. Governor Dunleavy’s declaration of state disaster emergency for the Alaska Gateway Regional Education Attendance Area (REAA), Yukon Flats REAA, Kuspuk REAA and Copper River REAA has activated the state’s disaster recovery programs which can reimburse emergency response costs and provide disaster recovery grants to communities and individuals.
In addition, to the flooding response, aerial River Watch teams are continuing to fly major river systems with ice break-up flood risk to provide advanced warning to communities still facing flood threat.
Below are some preliminary community damage reports based on rapid initial assessments.
Yukon
• Eagle – two homes flooded. State DOT/PF is continuing to clear ice from Mission Road.
• Circle – 15 homes flooded, three or more homes pushed of their foundations. After access by air over the last three days, SEOC is deploying a Division Supervisor to the community today to establish on the ground coordinate emergency response operations. Tanana Chiefs Conference provided portable generators, drinking water, and repair personnel to work on the community well and conduct electrical generator assessment. Alaska Energy Authority is deploying SEOC emergency generators and an electrician to Circle to restore limited power. FirstNet has deployed a temporary cell tower to augment communication.
• Fort Yukon – Flooding around public buildings and some homes flooded.
• River Watch – Upper Yukon River Watch Division demobilized last night. Middle Yukon Division, based out of Galena, deploying today and will assess river and ice conditions in and around Tanana, Galena, and Buckland.
Kuskokwim
• Red Devil – two to four homes inundated, SEOC Mass Care Group coordinating assistance as required.
• Crooked Creek – Multiple home flooded with four pushed of their foundation, assessment ongoing. All residents are safe and accounted for. The school is operating as an emergency shelter and the clinic is operational. Power partially restored. Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC) shipped out water, clean-up supplies, medical supplies, and two medical providers. Two YKHC Environmental Health personnel plan to travel to Crooked Creek today (May 17th, 2023). Donlin Gold has provided food, water, and communications equipment. American Red Cross of Alaska (ARCA) plans to ship clean up supplies and shelter support personnel. Runway is open. SEOC Kuskokwim Division Supervisor, based out of Bethel, has been in regular contact with the community and will fly there today. • River Watch – Kuskokwim Division River Watch will continue downriver from Crooked Creek today to provide river and ice condition reports to communities around Upper and Lower Kalskag, and other at-risk Kuskokwim communities.
Resources:
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
