The Matanuska-Susitna Borough declared a local disaster emergency on Tuesday, in response to a severe windstorm from Dec. 5–9 that caused widespread power outages, structural damage, and sub-zero wind chills (down to -20°F or lower).
“The MSB experienced wind gusts of at least 89 mph, and winds gusted in excess of 50 mph from Friday, December 5, through Tuesday, December 9. There were many reports of hurricane-force wind gusts damaging homes, vehicles, and other property,” says the press release from the Borough.With widespread damage to Borough and State infrastructure, public utilities, homes, and businesses, the damage now exceeds the timely and effective response capability of local resources, according to Mayor Edna DeVries. “The request is for State financial disaster assistance under the public and individual assistance programs to the Borough and its residents and businesses in its response and recovery from this event.”
The declaration aimed to mobilize resources for recovery, including utility repairs, road clearing, and shelters opened by the American Red Cross, City of Wasilla, and Mat-Su College to help residents stay warm.
While the primary trigger was hurricane-force winds (gusts up to 90 mph), the extreme cold exacerbated the impacts, leading to frostbite risks and prolonged outages affecting thousands.
For official updates, visit the Mat-Su Borough’s severe weather page.
Photo: Chugach Electric Association provided mutual aid to Matanuska Electric Association to restore power in the Mat-Su Valley. Photo: Chugach Electric Association.
2 thoughts on “Mat-Su Borough declares windstorm weather disaster”
Storm disasters are our reality test, they test our readiness for before and after. The WW2 Alaskans whom created the pfd, the states savings accounts knew that the state should live below our means, smaller government and smaller spending, and have cash reserves for such disasters. Because after all! they did live through the Great Depression. Life taught them the lesson for personally living below their means and keeping government spending below budget.
Bible warns us that as Christ’s second time nears, these storms will increase in size and frequency like a woman’s labor pains, that the world’s governments will lack the financial resources to clean up after each one. So today is the day to seek the Lord while he can be found and live below our means both personally and government.
One thing I hate about the housing today is builders are building them so cheap that it looks like the flimsy looking structure wouldn’t hold up against a Earthquake like that poor man’s Bear valley home during Nov 30 2018earthquake.
Then these days builders are putting wall Panels that look like Lego pieces! Those things will peel off over time or get rip off during a windstorm to hit something or someone else
The worse part is new homes cost Too much and aren’t even worth the buyers mortgage payments while communities are in such a rush to build new housing to which the new housing isn’t even worth the money of its price tag of 340K, 440k, 600K,