Disaster assistance centers open in Juneau as flood clean-up continues

People propulsion trash from their flood-damaged homes connected Emily Way connected Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. (Clarise Larson/KTOO)

At slightest 290 Juneau homes, including apartments and condos, were damaged by last week’s glacial outburst flooding.

That’s according to a preliminary harm appraisal completed by nan City and Borough of Juneau and nan American Red Cross of Alaska this past weekend.

Many homeowners are still cleaning retired their homes.

“We’re collecting each different types of garbage correct now – that’s your wide trash, building and demolition debris, ample appliances, hazardous waste,” said Deputy City Manager Robert Barr. “Impacted residents tin spot those things astatine nan separator of their spot statement adjacent to nan right-of-way.”

The Alaska Department of Transportation hauled distant much than 100 truckloads of trash complete nan weekend, and Barr said crews will proceed trash pick-up done this week, and apt beyond.

The Central Council of nan Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska is besides providing free debris removal for tribal citizens. Tribal Transportation Manager RJ Hill estimates crews took 15 tons of trash to nan dump successful conscionable nan first time and a half of cleanable up past week.

The metropolis will besides group up a junk conveyance pick-up for nan galore cars that were totaled by flood water. It already operates a year-round junk conveyance program that takes successful vehicles for free, but nan sheer number of damaged cars and trucks will overwhelm that system. The metropolis is looking for a short-term solution to shop vehicles while they’re waiting to beryllium junked.

Volunteers are helping pinch nan clean-up too. More than 100 group showed up to thief astatine nan Melvin Park unpaid halfway complete nan weekend, but United Way unpaid coordinator Ryan O’Shaughnessy said much thief is needed.

“We request folks who are consenting to get into a crawl space, get dirty, and thief america haul retired insulation arsenic good arsenic sheetrock and insulation that’s down it,” he said.

O’Shaughnessy added that group who can’t do nan dense work activity tin still thief retired pinch things for illustration cooking and delivering meals. United Way is besides asking for donations aliases loans of dehumidifiers, respirators and elbow magnitude gloves.

The unpaid halfway will beryllium unfastened astatine Melvin Park astatine slightest done Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free basking meals will beryllium disposable location each time from noon to 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Information astir unpaid opportunities later successful nan week will beryllium posted connected nan city’s website.

Insulation piled extracurricular of a location connected Meander Way, which took connected h2o during nan record-breaking glacial outburst flood connected Aug. 6, 2024. (Photo by Anna Canny/KTOO)

From Wednesday done Friday, nan Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will unfastened 2 disaster assistance centers to thief homeowners and renters affected by flooding navigate applications for individual authorities disaster alleviation money.

People tin show up to nan Mendenhall Valley Library aliases Generations Southeast Community Learning anytime betwixt 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Be judge to bring archiving of damages, a valid ID, impervious of occupancy and security information. The deadline to use for State Individual Assistance is Oct. 9, 2024 and applications can beryllium submitted online.

The American Red Cross of Alaska has also announced that it will beryllium offering financial assistance for group whose superior residence was damaged successful nan flood. The Red Cross will beryllium operating it’s ain assistance halfway this week astatine nan Open Red Cross Enrollment Center connected Glacier Highway, Monday done Wednesday.