As high water recedes, communities on the coast and along the lower Kuskokwim River are taking stock of flood damage and erosion after two windy storms in quick succession filled rivers and streams and flooded low-lying areas. Some residents reported that the flooding was worse than Typhoon Merbok and rivals this year’s historic breakup floods on the Kuskokwim.
A third storm, which had the potential to add another blow to Kuskokwim Delta communities, appears to be moving northward.
Meteorologist Christian Landry with the National Weather Service in Anchorage said that modeling shows that the main body of the storm is being pulled northward quickly, and that the leading edge isn’t looking very strong or long-lived.
“If you think of the low-pressure system as kind of the core of the system, the frontal band is maybe like an arm or an appendage,” Landry said. “It’s a part of the low, just not as well structured and supported as the low center itself.”
The leading part of the storm should come to Southwest Alaska on Tuesday afternoon, with the main body making landfall closer to Wednesday. Landry said that likely means that Tropical Storm Ampil, the third in the “conga line” of storms, may mostly miss the Kuskokwim Delta.
“What we’re seeing now is the winds that look to move on shore with this frontal system don’t appear to be as aligned with the the mouth of the river itself, and the moisture content of the front itself doesn’t seem to be as supportive of another large event. So it will be a rainy and southerly windy event, but not currently expected to be as impactful,” Landry said.
With the storm tracking north, NWS has issued a coastal flood advisory for the Yukon Delta coast from Wednesday morning until Thursday morning. The agency said that the storm could potentially bring water levels 3 to 5 feet above the normal high tideline. As with the Kuskokwim River, meteorologists say that the upcoming storm could back up the Yukon River and lead to erosion and structural damage.
In coastal Kuskokwim areas over the weekend and late last week, communities saw flood levels reach and overrun boardwalks and lift some fuel containers. High tides influenced by a blue super moon further increased flooding impacts to low-lying communities on Friday and Saturday.
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In Newtok, a house was reportedly knocked from its foundation by high water. A resident of the coastal community of Kipnuk also reported a home knocked from its foundation by the floodwaters. A resident in the nearby community of Kwigillingok said that the flooding was the worst that they had seen in more than three decades.
In Tuntutuliak, on the lower Kuskokwim, tribal administrator Roland White confirmed reports that at least two houses had been inundated with water, and said a clean up effort was underway throughout the village.
“Tuntutuliak is a boardwalk community, and quite a few of the boardwalks in the community were damaged,” White said.
In Napakiak, already-rapid erosion marching toward the community’s school reportedly came within six feet of the gym, creating safety concerns for the building, which was also surrounded by flood water.
According to Walter Nelson, who is coordinating the community’s long-term retreat from river erosion, the flood has put further pressure on crews already busy preparing the school for demolition
“They’re working around the clock in taking out the pipes and whatnot that are connected to the building,” Nelson said on Monday evening. “They’re gonna demolish it as soon as they’re ready to take it down before it falls through the river.”
Nelson also said that five homes in Napakiak had been inundated with water.
Upriver in Akiak, community members have reported riverbank erosion of between 10 and 20 feet due to the storm, along with swamped boats and lost fishing nets.
In Bethel, the city government closed the south boat harbor and East Avenue because of flooding on Sunday. The Kuskokwim River gauge at Bethel recorded a level of 9.52 feet, the minor flooding stage.
As of Monday afternoon, the Alaska Office of Emergency Response said that it had not received any requests for assistance from communities on the Kuskokwim Delta Coast or along the lower Kuskokwim River, but said that the state would deploy resources as necessary.
