State Emergency Operations Center
2013 November Storms
AK-DHSEM-13-S-007
Date: November 15, 2013 Time: 1500 hrs
SEOC Preparedness Level 3
Kotlik 11/14/2013
Contact
State Emergency Operations Center 907-428-7100
secc@ak-prepared.com
2013_November_Storms@ak-prepared.com
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Incident Overview
State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) Activated to Level 3
The SEOC has been activated in response to several storms impacting the West Coast of Alaska. Several
communities have been affected. The series of storms is expected to pass through the area today and be
replaced by more normal winter conditions.
The SEOC has received local disaster declarations from Kotlik, Stebbins, Scammon Bay, Shishmaref,
and Tununak. Affected communities include: Unalakleet; minor damage in: Teller, Nome, Newtok,
Emmonak, Nunam Iqua, Shaktoolik, Elim, Savoonga, Saint Michael, Golovin, Koyyuk, and Alakanuk.
Community damage reports are still being received.
Shelters were opened in response to the storm event and two remain open through the weekend.
The SEOC deployed an Emergency Management Specialist to the area to provide technical disaster
assistance. He is based in Unalakleet today Friday November 15, 2013 and is traveling to affected
communities as needed. A portable water purification system was deployed to Kotlik and currently in
use. DHSS has deployed two public health nurses to Kotlik to provide flu vaccines. Alaska Res Cross
volunteer staff arrived with needed basic supplies to Kotlik, including water and cleanup kits.
The SEOC is monitoring the following reports from local jurisdictions:




Shishmaref
o Facilities and homes at risk due to erosion of community seawalls
o Damage to homes from high winds
o Local disaster declaration 11/14/14
Kotlik
o Water influent lines and water treatment system is damaged resulting in water plant shutdown
o Portions of the sewage system are now discharging into the sewage lagoon
o Community stored water is estimated to last one week
o At least 2 homes floated off foundations and several homes damaged
o Temporarily relocated 4 medically sensitive elders out of community as precaution
o Local disaster declaration 11/13/13
Unalakleet
o Water transmission line uncovered; exposed power lines; missing arctic pipe sections
 500-600 feet of damaged pipe going into pump house; temporary line in place
 700 ft. of arctic pipe
o Road closest to water has 0.5 miles eroded; debris removal in progress to clear roads
o Unknown number of homes damaged
o Emergency repairs underway
o Intent to declare local disaster
Stebbins
o Seven to ten homes damaged, 2 homes reported unlivable
o Damage to flood protection berm; coastal road eroded
o Water influent lines and sanitation storage system damaged
o GCI communications tower damaged; cell phone service limited
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


o Sewage floated around town as honey buckets were moved by water
o Several AVEC parts connexes flooded
o Four families with damaged homes are staying with relatives.
o Local disaster declaration 11/13/13
Scammon Bay
o Significant erosion damage: road to fuel station, city dock, dock road, airport road, west end of
airport to apron
o Displaced boat ramp to Community Service Center
o Flood damage to personal property including unknown number of boats and motors
o Local disaster declaration 11/13/13
Tununak
o Damage to existing seawall, personal and real property, subsistence equipment
o Washouts along four major roads
o Significant loss to embankment along road and bridge access to airport runway
o Local disaster declaration 11/14/13
Fairbanks
o Sheltered 14 residents overnight at North Valley High School
o Most power restored outage continues with approximately 3,000 homes affected
o One warming shelter remains open at North Valley High Schools
o EOC activated
Event Needs and Status:
**This is a disaster total, not broken down.
Confirmed
Estimated
Confirmed
Mass Casualty
Estimated
Evacuation
Dead
0
0
Communities
1
1
Injured
0
0
# Evacuated
4
4
Missing
0
0
Still Required
0
0
Mass Care
Search & Rescue
Shelters Open
3
5
Areas
0
0
Pop. Capacity
unknown
unknown
Assets
0
0
Pop. Remaining
unknown
unknown
Results
0
0
Sheltered
unknown
29
Quantity
0
0
Transportation
Bridge Closures
0
0
Airport Closures
0
0
Active Fires
N/A
0
Port Closures
0
0
Staffed Fires
N/A
0
Fires Yesterday
N/A
0
Total Acres YTD
N/A
0
Wildland Activity
Medical
Facility-Status
0
0
Capacity
0
0
Blood
0
0
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LOCAL INFORMATION
Community
Name
Kotlik
Unalakleet
EOC
Activated
No
No
Local
Shelter Open
Structures
CIKR
Relocated
Declaration
Damaged
Status
Residents
Yes
Yes
15
Yes
13
Yes 4 out
Residents relocated within community – damage to water/sewer system
No
No
0
Yes
4
Yes
10
Residents relocated within community
Infrastructure
Damage
Water and roads
Water and roads
No
Yes
No
Unk
Unk
Water,sewage
and roads
No
Yes
Condition of airport unknown – possible damage
No
0
No
0
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
0
No
0
No
0
Yes
No
No
No
0
No
0
No
0
No
Yes
No
Yes
14
No
0
No
0
Newtok
No
No
No
0
No
0
No
0
Tununak
No
Yes
No
0
No
0
No
0
No
No
No
0
No
0
No
0
Main waterline to pump house damaged – repaired; no assistance request
No
No
0
No
0
No
0
Personal property damage including snow machines
No
No
0
No
0
No
0
Communications damage – TV/radio/phone
Minor
Moderate
Good
Damage
Damage
Stebbins
Shishmareff
Scammon
Bay
Nunam
Iqua
Fairbanks
North Star
Borough
Emmonak
Alakanuk
Nome
No
No
No Info
0
Yes
7-10
Power out to
approximately
3000 residents
Erosion
Concerns
Roads, seawall,
and airport
No
No
Comms
Major
Damage
Weather Report
Eastern Norton Sound and Nulato Hills
Tonight: Snow likely. Snow accumulation around 1 inch. Lows in the teens. West winds 5 to 15 mph.
Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Scattered snow showers. Highs in the teens to lower 20s. Northwest winds 5 to 15 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy. Scattered snow showers. Lows 7 to 12 above. Light winds.
Middle Tanana Valley
Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Snow likely. Accumulation up to 1 inch. Lows around 4 above. Light winds.
Saturday: Snow likely. Accumulation up to 1 inch. Highs 5 to 10 above. West winds to 10 mph.
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Saturday Night: Cloudy. Isolated snow showers. Lows around 10 below. West winds to 10 mph.
Western Kenai Peninsula
Tonight: Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. Lows in the lower teens to mid 20s...warmest
around kachemak bay. Variable wind to 10 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 20s to mid 30s. North wind 10 to 20 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear. Lows 5 to 20 above...warmest around kachemak bay. North wind 10 to 20 mph.
Talking Points 11.15.13

The winter storm in the Bering Sea has damaged communities along the Western Coast of Alaska.

Damaged has been reported in communities between Scammon Bay and Nome. Storm driven sea
swells and ice have caused the majority of damages. 13 homes have been reported damage in
Kotlik, 4 in Unalakleet, and 7-10 in Stebbins.

As of November 15, 2013 15 Kotlik residents are sheltered at the community’s school. Stebbins
has reported that 4 families are sheltered with friends and family in the community.

A DHS&EM Emergency Management Specialist (EMS) is in Unalakleet to provide technical
assistance and to establish a base of operations for emergency management activities. The EMS
will travel to Kotlik as weather and flights allow.

At this time local governments and the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) are focused on
responding to life safety needs. A damage assessment will take place when the situation has
stabilized and emergency response activities are no longer needed.

The State Emergency Operation Center has the capability and authority to address any emergency
need identified by the impacted communities’ leaders. A disaster declaration will not activate
additional response resources. A disaster declaration will activate disaster recovery programs that
provide funding to rebuild or repair eligible damages.

There are no reports of fatalities, missing persons, or injuries.
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
The SEOC received a local disaster declaration from the Kotlik, Scammon Bay, Stebbins,
Shishmaref, and Tununak. We have intent to declare from Unalakleet, St. Michaels, and Nunam
Iqua.

The Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation has sent four representatives to Kotlik to help with
water systems repairs, response and relief activities, immunizations, and clinic operations.
Comments

The State Emergency Operations Center anticipates a daily operational period with the DHS&EM Duty
Officer available overnight and through the weekend.

Call 1-800-478-2337 for assistance (24 hours)
Statewide Outlook


DHS&EM continues to coordinate State response and recovery efforts.
Field deployments will continue as needed.
2013 October KPB Floods

SEOC is also currently involved in recovery following the October Kenai Peninsula Borough flooding
event AK-DHSEM-13-F-006.
o SEOC will deploy joint State/FEMA PDA to the Borough on Tuesday 11/19/13.

Next SITREP 11/18/2012 1500 hrs. Alaska Time.
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