Alaska Flooding Disaster Emergency
The community of Manley Hot Springs, located west of Fairbanks, was flooded due to an ice jam about 10 miles down the Tanana River in Alaska. The National Weather Service issued a flood warning on Saturday as an ice blockage formed on the river.
As ice came up through the slough bank, the water level continued to increase, drowning the settlement. According to KTUU, floodwaters had reached nearly a foot deep in the village. During the flooding, Manley Hot Springs lost power.
An ice jam occurs when snow and ice melt quickly in the springtime, usually due to mild weather. Heavy rain can aggravate the situation. Extra water from melting snow and ice causes frozen rivers and streams to swell, breaching the ice layer on top of the river. Large chunks of ice begin to travel downstream, where they can become lodged in a river’s narrow course, causing an ice jam.
As a result of the ice jam flooding in Manley Hot Springs, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy declared a disaster emergency for the Yukon Koyukuk Regional Education Attendance Area (REAA) on Saturday night. Dunleavy stated that the state of Alaska’s emergency declaration will direct all state agencies to respond to the flooding.
According to the flood alert issued Sunday, almost all roads in Manley were inundated, and numerous residences on the slough bank were encircled by water. The flooding began when the ice jammed at a pinch point, allowing water to back up along the Tanana River and into the settlement.
kidhours – Alaska Flooding Disaster Emergency