Record glacial flooding damages homes in Alaska

At least two buildings were left destroyed and Alaska’s capital city issued a local declaration of emergency Sunday as the city was hit with record flooding due to a release of water from a glacier-dammed lake. 

The city and borough of Juneau, the capital of Alaska, announced a local declaration of emergency Sunday after a major release of water from the Suicide Basin — a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier – prompted record flooding. The city said at least two structures were destroyed and those at risk in other buildings have been evacuated. Since 2011, the Suicide Basin has released glacier lake outbursts that cause flooding along the Mendenhall Lake and Mendenhall River, the National Weather Service said.

Water levels at the Mendenhall Lake crested to 14.97 feet Saturday night, breaking the previous record of 11.99 feet set in July 2016, according to the National Weather Service. 

The city of Juneau Sunday said the Mendenhall River banks “remain highly unstable,” and asked all members of the public to stay away from the river. 

“Significant flooding was reported with water in areas that previously have not seen flooding,” the National Weather Service said on Sunday. 

According to officials, the flooding left tree-fall and debris in the river and silt in the roadways, while also impacting fuel tanks and hazardous materials containers. The city said cleanup efforts are underway. 

The river level started to fall after hitting its max Saturday night and the flood warning expired, according to the National Weather Service of Juneau, which emphasized hazards are still present in and around the Mendenhall River.