Governor Signs Declaration of Disaster

This information is current as of 5:30 p.m.
Please refer to previous press releases for additional details.

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER-- Governor Frank Murkowski toured the Borough's Emergency Operations Center this afternoon. He announced that at 11:30 this morning, the Disaster Relief Order for the Matanuska Susitna Borough went into effect.

A State Disaster Declaration means that the Borough can request State resources including personnel and funding to assist in responding to the flood emergency. State resources will be essential in the recovery effort yet to come.

A toll-free number has been set up at the State's Emergency Coordination Center for residents who need individual assistance in recovering from the floods. The phone is answered by staff during regular business hours. The number is 1-800-921-3682.

The Governor thanked the workers in the Emergency Operations Center and those out in the field repeating that Alaska is ranked #5 among states nationally in volunteerism. This weekend, members of the Colony High School JROTC CERT team as well as members of the Willow CERT team volunteered many hours filling sandbags.

The Weather Service cautions that the ground is saturated in many places and although the rain is predicted to taper off to scattered showers, local flooding is still a possibility.

State Emergency Management Director, David Liebersbach announced that the Denali Highway is closed. The Richardson Highway was closed earlier but is currently open. Landslides are the cause in both locations.

The Department of Transportation reports that there are rocks on the roadway on the Glenn Highway between mile 66-100 and urges motorists to be cautious.