Juneau braces for record glacier flood in Alaska

Reuters

Juneau, Alaska, is on high alert as floodwaters from the Mendenhall Glacier threaten to reach record levels, forcing residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate immediately.

The surge is driven by snowmelt and rainwater collecting in Suicide Basin, a depression left by a retreating glacier, which then pushes water through or around the ice dam into Mendenhall Lake and down the Mendenhall River.

Some residents in flood-prone zones have already left their homes. Officials expect this year's flood levels to surpass past records, reaching between 16.3 and 16.8 ft, exceeding last year’s 15.99 ft crest.

"This will be a new record, based on all of the information that we have," National Weather Service meteorologist Nicole Ferrin told a news conference.

Temporary barriers have been installed, but experts warn that the situation is serious.

Scientists link the flooding to glacier retreat caused by global warming, highlighting the growing impact of climate change on Alaska’s waterways.

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