Borough seeks financial aid as crews work to restore power, repair damage
ANCHORAGE , Alaska - The Matanuska-Susitna Borough has declared a disaster after a prolonged windstorm brought hurricane-force gusts that damaged homes, toppled power lines and shutdown businesses across the region from December 5-9.
Borough officials said gusts reached at least 89 miles per hour, with winds regularly exceeding 50 mph throughout the storm. Local agencies reported widespread property damage, including destroyed fences, damaged vehicles and impacts to public utilities. The borough said the scale of the damage “exceeds the timely and effective response capability of local resources,” prompting a request for state disaster assistance for residents, businesses and public facilities. Specifically, the declaration seeks state financial assistance under public and individual disaster programs. Throughout the weekend, utility crews worked to repair downed lines as thousands of residents dealt with power outages and sub-zero wind chills. The borough thanked linemen, first responders and local and state road crews assisting with calls for service and recovery efforts. The borough also thanked American Red Cross, City of Wasilla and Mat-Su College for opening shelters for impacted residents to stay warm. “We have had about 30 to 50 people, kind of coming in and out, throughout the day in our shelters,” Taylar Sausen, Regional Communications Director for the American Red Cross of Alaska,School bus flips onto its side in Mat-Su while carrying studentsBody discovered in burned Fairbanks cabin; officials say fire was intentional
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