Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster declaration on May 11 for two Interior Alaska communities after they were inundated by severe ice jam flooding.
The declaration covers areas near Chalkyitsik on the Black River and Hughes on the Koyukuk River, which were struck by rapidly rising water over the last week.
Jeremy Zidek of the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said that almost a dozen homes flooded in Chalkyitsik. But the situation is especially dire in Hughes, where high waters have made it difficult for the state to deliver emergency personnel and supplies.
Zidek said ice and water on the runway meant fixed-wing aircraft could not land in Hughes.
“The water has gone down a little bit, but the runway is not serviceable,” he said. “We’re looking at an alternate runway that is nearby.”
Zidek said that when the flooding peaked on May 9, most of the community’s nearly 80 residents had to shelter at the Hughes Tribal Hall.
With spring breakup still in full swing, Zidek said the danger hasn’t passed in the Interior, and more communities could be added to the disaster declaration if necessary.
“The governor will consider the information we provide to him, and then make that determination,” he said.
In addition to activating the state’s emergency response capabilities, the governor’s disaster declaration opens up several assistance programs for the affected areas.
The state’s public assistance program focuses on restoring essential infrastructure and can be accessed by local governments, tribes, and nonprofits. Its individual assistance and temporary housing programs can help individuals and families recover from flood-related property damage.
Zidek said the state will release more information about those programs in the coming days.
