Snowed-in Alaska town needs National Guard help

(AP) 

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Dozens of National Guard troops have arrived to help the Alaska fishing town of Cordova dig out from massive snows that have collapsed roofs, trapped some people in homes, and triggered avalanches.

Cordova is used to snow, but not like this season's blanketing.

The Guard reported more than 18 feet of snow has fallen in the past weeks, although the National Weather Service did not immediately have a measurement.

"There's nowhere to go with the snow because it's piled up so high," said Wendy Rainney, who owns the Orca Adventure Lodge. A storage building for the lodge — which offers fishing trips, hiking, kayaking and glacier tours — partially collapsed under the weight of the snow, she said.

"This is more quantity than can be handled."

Officials said at least three buildings have collapsed or partially collapsed and six homes are deemed severely stressed by heavy wet snow.

In this Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012 photo provided by the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, a house is buried in snow in the fishing town of Cordova, Alaska. Residents have turned to the state to help them dig out of massive snow levels that have collapsed roofs, triggered avalanches and even covered doors, trapping some people in their homes.

(Credit: AP Photo/Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Erv Petty)

The city has set up a shelter at a local recreation center, but said people leaving homes in avalanche-risky areas have been staying with other residents. Cordova spokesman Allen Marquette said the town also was ready to set up a pet shelter if necessary.

The town issued a disaster proclamation last week after three weeks of relentless snow overwhelmed local crews working around the clock and filled snow dump sites.

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"We had no alternative but to declare an emergency," Cordova Mayor Jim Kallander said. "It became a life-safety issue."

Responders said Sunday that rain fell overnight, making for a slippery, treacherous mess in the Prince William Sound community of 2,000 year-round residents.

In this Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012 photo provided by the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, a man stands on a house buried in snow in the fishing town of Cordova, Alaska.

(Credit: Kim Weibl,AP Photo/Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management)

The region has been pummeled by snow, but Cordova is of particular concern because there is no road access to the town, only boat and plane passage, said Maj. Gen. Thomas Katkus, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard.

There have been no reported injuries, but bad weather had prevented the Guard from flying to the town, 150 miles southeast of Anchorage.

More than 70 Guard members arrived in Cordova via state ferry Sunday. About 50 of them will help clear roofs, roads, boats. The rest will provide other assistance.

[Brokennews]

Amazing how a weather story can de-evolve into a political slop sling session!

[ainttaken]

louiville12 January 10, 2012 8:31 AM EST
Yawn, LOL Ummmm "The rest of the USA outside the thirteen colonies may have been stolen from the Mexicans" you have heard of the Louisiana purchase right?
---------------------------------------

I mentioned the louisiana purchase dimwit. You didnt even read my post.
You are the ultimate liberal. You want to take something that someone else has already paid for.....a greedy greasy handedsob
Hypocrisy is the right wing creed

v

[louiville12]

LOL kind of a rambling statement isn't it? Who was that somebody else you keep talking about? Aren't they all dead? and what's that have to do with states rights to land within their borders?

Your whole argument is a red herring to the original point I made, right? Or can't YOU follow what was being said dimwit.

[bobkat258]

You people who have commented so far all disgust me.

[BWB2020]

As if you were anyone about whose disgust we should care! LOL!

Baggers are such maroons.

[achememnon]

Most conservative are hypocrites, they decry the use of government unless it has to do with their situation. These people should stick to their so-called beliefs and deal with this situation themselves, and then they have the right to look down on the governments help of others. Other than that they are hypocrites and should re-evaluate what they really believe about government.

[margroks]

I applaud them for thinking of pets as well as people!

However, the comment about non-socialist Alaskans is innappropriate, irrelevant and moreover, simply stupid. There are no socialists anywhere killing each other during emergencies-that's just more right wing rhetoric with no basis at all in fact. Some people cannot comment on anything without turning it into a diatribe based on the nonsense spewed by Limbaugh and Beck.

[BWB2020]

These may well be the same people who decry government, and having to pay taxes for infrastructure, that it, until they need it, of course.

I say if they hate government so much, then let them dig themselves out of their predicament, after all they chose to live where 20 feet of snow falls.

Let us all see the courage of their convictions.

[lgccac]

Darned old global warming!

[lgccac]

Darned old global warming!

[starving1968-3]

by js555554 January 10, 2012 6:12 AM EST
They asked for and got help under a emergency situation they couldn't handle on there own. Unlike the liberal types that just expect the gov to do everything for them emergency or no. Big difference dude.







If they were TRUE to their principles, they would have hired private contractors to do it for them.

Haliburton is available now... maybe they can award them a "no bid contract" that pays the contractor 10X MORE than what anyone else would charge.

[starving1968-3]

by MalloryDavis January 10, 2012 5:47 AM EST
How in the H-E-dbl-toothpicks can moving snow to assist Alaska folks be socialism? The Feds should help it's people in disasterous situations. I am sure if you lived in all that snow and couldn't get out...you'd be screaming like a girl for someone anyone to move the snow so maybe you could go to work-if you even work.

Socialism my F@TAZZ.







Asking for help from the "big nanny government" is EXACTLY what socialism is.

If these people were true to the conservative republican principles, they would hire private companies to come and move the snow out.