Rare powerful storm hits Alaska
A storm of rare power has hit western Alaska, causing massive waves and flooding to wash away homes.
on September 17, 2022 in Anchorage.
AFP
“The remnants of Hurricane Merbok will hit western Alaska (…) over the weekend, bringing extreme surf, hurricane-force winds, coastal erosion and heavy rain,” the US Weather Service (NWS) announced on Saturday. “The floods will only get worse,” they added.
“This is the strongest autumn storm we’ve seen in the Bering Sea in the last 50 years,” University of Alaska climate scientist Rick Thomann told AFP.
In the coastal village of Kolovin, “water is around the school, houses are flooded, at least two are floating,” described municipal services in Fairbanks, Alaska’s second-largest city.
Pictures posted on social media show extensive damage. CNN released video showing the house floating in the river before becoming trapped under the bridge.
“A Very Angry Sea”
The NWS described ‘very angry seas’ with 3.3 meter waves along the coastline around Nome.
According to the NWS, sustained winds of up to 145 km/h are expected, with others forecast to be even stronger.
The flood warning will remain in effect for southern coastal areas until 10pm on Saturday (8am in Switzerland) and for stormy northern areas until 8:30am on Sunday, the weather service clarified on Facebook.
AFP
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