Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Luke Hopkins has issued a disaster declaration in connection with severe weather.
The declaration issued Monday comes after strong winds caused power outages for thousands of borough residents.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported an estimated 800 customers of Golden Valley Electric Association were still without power Monday morning. By declaring a disaster, the borough effectively is asking for additional aid from the state.
The borough opened emergency shelters and other services on Thursday, when as many as 8,000 customers were without power. Hopkins says the shelters have not seen as much use since the first night.
The power outages led to a run on generators at local stores. Many retailers say they have sold out or are running low on generators.
