Flooding caused by a glacier-dammed lake destroyed at least two structures and forced the evacuation of others in Juneau, officials said Sunday.
The Mendenhall River flooded Saturday as a result of a substantial release from Suicide Basin above Alaska’s capital city, according to a news release from the City and Borough of Juneau.
A viral video showed huge trees behind a house collapsing into the raging river as the water ate away at the bank. The house, which was perched on the edge of a cliff, eventually fell into the river.
On Sunday, river levels were dropping, but the city said the river’s banks remained highly unstable. According to the report, flooding-related mud and debris have jammed certain highways.
The Suicide Basin is a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier above Juneau, according to the National Weather Service.
According to the government, Mendenhall Lake and the Mendenhall River have been underwater since 2011 as a result of glacial lake outburst floods caused by the Suicide Basin.
The Mendenhall Lake gauge crested around 11:15 p.m., according to the agency. The water level reached 4.97 feet at its greatest point on Saturday, “well above the previous record stage of 11.99 feet set in July 2016.”
The lake level was 7.22 feet at 5:15 p.m. According to the agency, the waters continued to recede on Sunday.
According to the National Weather Service, the Suicide Basin is a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier above Juneau.
According to the organization, Mendenhall Lake and the Mendenhall River have been submerged since 2011 as a result of glacial lake outburst floods caused by the Suicide Basin.
According to the agency, the Mendenhall Lake gauge crested around 11:15 p.m. The water level reached 4.97 feet at its peak on Saturday, “well above the previous record stage of 11.99 feet set in July 2016.”
At 5:15 p.m., the lake level was 7.22 feet. The service said that the waters had continued to recede on Sunday.
