KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Cleanup underway in Eagle after flood destruction

Cleanup underway in Eagle after flood destruction

by Jill Burke
Thursday, May 7, 2009

EAGLE, Alaska -- A powerfully destructive ice jam gave way and headed downstream from Eagle last night, but not before causing damage no one can put a price tag on yet.

There are no injuries and no loss of life, but the challenge now is dealing with contamination, punching through huge ice blocks that still have some folks cut off, and figuring out how to move forward.

Nick and Jean Turner evacuated Sunday night amid rapidly rising waters.

"We had the bread baking, Nick was sitting by the window drinking coffee and goes, 'Jean we have to get out of here right now,'" Jean Turner said.

Four days later the home looked like a tsunami hit it. Their house was wrecked, but they were able to save some pictures.

Incredibly, the coffee was still on in the house, but inside and out, the aroma has changed.

"Whenever the water came up it deposited diesel fuel on everything. There's a layer of diesel fuel on everything, on the bushes, the trees," Jean Turner said.

Fuel is a contamination threat and just one more mess for this historic community after a force of nature unlike any ever seen here before sheered through and left it in shambles.

The city well is also contaminated with E. coli.

Water was trucked in Wednesday night.

There are about 60 people eating meals at the school and 20 sleeping there.

However, the old village of Eagle was destroyed. People there moved to high ground and set up camp where they have been staying for several days.

The village, where Eagle's historical district is located, has also been cut off by giant ice blocks.

The Department of Transportation is bringing in heavy equipment to help clear the way.

Contact Jill Burke at jburke@ktuu.com