Emergency Evacuation in Juneau, Alaska Due to Glacier Melt Causing Downstream Flooding | WPN World People News

Juneau, the capital of Alaska, has issued an emergency evacuation after flooding was triggered by the melting of the Mendenhall Glacier. The rapid melt caused water levels in Mendenhall Lake and Mendenhall River to surge, leading to a breach on the 13th. Meltwater flooded into streets and residential areas, prompting residents to evacuate. Climate change and glacier melt, driven by global warming, have made the Juneau area—located adjacent to Mendenhall Lake—face annual flood threats during the spring and summer seasons.

Dr. Eran Hood, an environmental science professor at the University of Alaska Southeast, stated that data shows floods from the Mendenhall Glacier have occurred annually since 2011, with the severity increasing over the past three years. The Mendenhall River, which normally has a depth of just 6 feet, reached 14.97 feet during the 2023 flood. In August last year, the river rose to 15.99 feet, submerging over 100 homes in the Mendenhall River Valley. Meteorologist Nicole Ferrin from the National Weather Service predicts that this year the river may rise to 16.6 feet.

Dr. Hood explained that the Suicide Glacier, located upstream of the Mendenhall Glacier, has now melted and left behind a basin. This basin collects rainwater, snowmelt, and glacial meltwater, effectively forming a dam. Water from the basin seeps underneath and overflows above the glacier, accelerating the melting of the Mendenhall Glacier and causing further downstream flooding.