Hazard Mitigation Planning Helps Alakanuk

The City of Alakanuk successfully applied for a $280,000 hazard mitigation grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to respond to a spring flood disaster (DR-1423, 06/26/2002).

Eleven residential structures and the City Office were relocated away from the Yukon River embankment to available sites within the community. All structures were threatened by spring flood, ice override, and continuous high-water flow erosion. This effort prevented future damage to the community.

During the next flood season an ice block moved across the last relocated residential structure’s location; the ice block was larger than the relocated house.