The emergency operations center in Juneau has advised residents living along Marion Drive evacuate Saturday night in the wake of a record-breaking glacial eruption flood.
A press release from the city stated that a building was destroyed and other buildings are at risk — as the rapid loss of land on Marion Drive could cause the riverbank to fall.
Drone footage posted on social media showed a building that had sunk into the river, as well as other that looked to be cut by the erosion of the bank.
The reason for this weekend’s floods is an outburst of glacial dams that flood coming from Suicide Basin, above the Mendenhall Glacier. A recent update of the National Weather Service described record flooding of low-lying and waterways areas, as well as flooding “in areas that haven’t been previously affected by flooding.”
At the present rate the highest flood levels could reach in 15.
The span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”There is no comparability,” said meteorologist Nicole Ferrin of the National Weather Service in Juneau. “We’re two feet over our last record.”
This record was established in the year 2011, which was the first year when floods from glacial eruptions took place in Juneau.
Ferrin said that determining an exact time of the flood’s peak is a challenge, but the rate of increase has slowed down at the time of late Saturday evening.
“span style=”font-weight 400 ;”>”We’re hoping this signals that we’re coming to an close of the chapter,” she said.
According to the city’s press release, the bridge on Back Loop and the footbridge at Dimond Park are closed. The city also asks users to stay clear of the river and avoid unnecessary journeys along the back Loop’s Mendenhall River bridge.
The city has stated that anyone affected by the flooding and who require help should dial 907-586-0600.
This is still a story in the making. Stay tuned for updates.
