A coastal storm that first hit Northwest Alaska on Sunday caused significant flooding and high winds Tuesday in several communities around Kotzebue, with rising water levels not expected to let up until Wednesday morning.
The National Weather Service reported that the water levels in Kotzebue are 3 to 4 feet above the normal high tide line with up to 55-mph winds still expected. The weather service says “significant beach erosion” is likely.
In a press release Tuesday, the City of Kotzebue said it was working to establish emergency evacuation centers and urged displaced residents or those needing immediate evacuation to call the city planning department. City officials say they plan to coordinate with Kotzebue’s tribe to issue an emergency declaration. Officials said two households had already been evacuated as of early Tuesday afternoon.
Kotzebue’s airport is also inaccessible due to ice pushed onto the runway by high winds, which officials say further complicates the response effort.
Many residents posted on social media about the flooding – with one lifelong resident who lives by Kotzebue’s sea wall calling the flooding “the highest water (they’ve) ever seen.” Residents also reported flooding near the community’s hospital, lagoon, teacher housing and the northside of town. Photos posted to social media also show structures at fish camps on the city’s northeast side of town washing away.
Northwest Arctic Borough Mayor Dickie Moto said he was working on a coordinated emergency effort with multiple local and state agencies, and would provide an update once he had more information.