Current:Home > MyAn estimated 290 residences damaged by flooding from lake dammed by Alaska glacier, officials say -MarketLink
An estimated 290 residences damaged by flooding from lake dammed by Alaska glacier, officials say
View
Date:2025-04-17 13:24:47
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Roughly 290 residences in Alaska’s capital city were damaged last week by flooding from a lake dammed by the Mendenhall Glacier, officials said.
In addition to the homes and apartment and condo units, at least two businesses were damaged, Deputy City Manager Robert Barr said in an email Monday.
The threat of this kind of flooding has become a yearly concern in parts of Juneau, though the extent of last week’s flooding, which reached farther into the Mendenhall Valley, was unprecedented, officials have said.
The flooding occurs because a smaller glacier near Mendenhall Glacier retreated, leaving a basin that fills with rainwater and snowmelt each spring and summer. When the water creates enough pressure, it forces its way under or around the ice dam created by the Mendenhall Glacier, entering Mendenhall Lake and eventually the Mendenhall River.
Since 2011, the phenomenon has sporadically flooded streets or homes near the lake and river, but the impacts of flooding this year and last were significant. The river crested early last Tuesday at 15.99 feet (4.9 meters), the National Weather Service said, beating the prior record set a year earlier by about 1 foot (0.3 meters).
The state has an assistance program that can help with costs to repair damaged homes, with a maximum for an individual or family of $21,250. Other programs including aid to replace essential items, like clothing, and temporary housing assistance for residents displaced by the flooding. Barr did not have an estimate of how many people will need such aid.
veryGood! (7)
Related
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Sharp divisions persist over Walz’s response to the riots that followed the murder of George Floyd
- Paige DeSorbo Swears Everyone Who Buys These Pants Loves Them So Much, They End Up Getting Every Color
- Artem Chigvintsev Makes Subtle Nod to Wife Nikki Garcia After Domestic Violence Arrest
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- 2 young sisters apparently drowned in a Long Island pond, police say
- Score 50% off Old Navy Jeans All Weekend -- Shop Chic Denim Styles Starting at $17
- Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress
- All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
- Neighbor's shifting alibis lead to arrest in Mass. woman's disappearance, police say
Ranking
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- NFL Sunday Ticket price: Breaking down how much it costs, plus some discounts
- Cardinals' DeeJay Dallas gets first touchdown return under NFL's new kickoff rules
- ‘Wicked’ director Jon M. Chu on ‘shooting the moon,’ casting Ariana Grande and growing 9M tulips
- Retirement planning: 3 crucial moves everyone should make before 2025
- Dak Prescott leads Cowboys to 33-17 romp over Browns in opener after getting new 4-year contract
- How to make a budget that actually works: Video tutorial
- Dream Kardashian, 7, Makes Runway Modeling Debut at New York Fashion Week
Recommendation
Jamie Foxx reps say actor was hit in face by a glass at birthday dinner, needed stitches
Mega Millions skyrockets to $800 million. See the winning numbers for September 6 drawing
Sérgio Mendes, Brazilian musician who helped popularize bossa nova, dies at 83
Mega Millions skyrockets to $800 million. See the winning numbers for September 6 drawing
The Daily Money: Spending more on holiday travel?
Can Falcons rise up to meet lofty expectations for fortified roster?
Why an ominous warning didn't stop Georgia school shooting
Watch as time-lapse video captures solar arrays reflecting auroras, city lights from space