[1/3] View of flooding following a glacial dam outburst, in Juneau, Alaska, U.S., in this picture released on August 5, 2023 and obtained from social media.
The National Weather Service Juneau/via REUTERSAug 6 (Reuters) - Record flooding struck Alaska's capital city on Saturday after a glacial dam outburst, destroying at least one structure and prompting city officials to issue evacuation orders for residents on one street.
The National Weather Service (NWS) received reports of large trees collapsing into the Mendenhall River near Juneau on Saturday night as water levels rose, eroding the banks.
loadingGlacial outburst flooding happens when trapped water escapes through cracks in thinning ice dams, a phenomenon that has increased around the world as a result of climate change.
Water levels were receding rapidly on the Mendenhall River in Alaska on Sunday morning, but a flood warning remained in effect until 10 a.m. local time, the NWS said.
Persons:
Julia Harte, Lisa Shumaker
Organizations:
National Weather Service, REUTERS, NWS, Thomson
Locations:
Juneau , Alaska, U.S, National Weather Service Juneau, Mendenhall, Juneau, Alaska, North America, Europe, China, Pakistan, New York