By Rob Stapleton
Alaska Journal of Commerce

Damage to homes, roads and airports from spring flooding in rural Alaska will likely tally more than $7.2 million in public funding, according to state and federal officials.

Spring floods hit several communities along the Yukon River, including Eagle, Fort Yukon, Stevens Village, Tanana and Emmonak. Residents in Koyukuk evacuated but later returned when floodwaters subsided.

On the lower Kuskokwim River, the villages of Aniak, Akiak, Akiachuk, Alakanuk, Kwethluk, Red Devil, Russian Mission and Sleetmute were all affected by spring floods.

Flooding started in early May, when unusually high temperatures in the interior quickly melted the snow. Ice jams backed up, effectively damming the melt water, according to the National Weather Service.

Assessment teams estimate that the community of Eagle needs more than $4.9 million in public assistance. Statewide, some 24 homes have been identified as completely destroyed, and dozens of others been affected, said Jeremy Zidek, a spokesperson with the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Gov. Sarah Palin on May 25 requested a federal disaster declaration.

"Hundreds of Alaskans have been displaced and many have had their homes completely destroyed," she said in a written release. "The next step in a state's rebuilding process after a natural disaster is to request our federal government's assistance."

Nearly 300 buildings as well as miles of road were damaged, and hundreds of people are without homes. Food and water were provided by the state and the Red Cross as residents worked to rebuild and clean up.

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management provided housing to 18 evacuees from Tanana and 37 evacuees from Stevens Village. All evacuees from Kwethluk had returned to their community.

State officials have joined in the efforts to help stranded rural residents and to clean up affected communities.

The Department of Environmental Conservation tested water and the Department of Health and Social Services gave tetanus shots.

The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is working to rebuild roads, while the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs provided the logistical support to provide potable water, food, and lines of communication.

Rob Stapleton can be reached at robstapleton.@alaskajournal.com.