Anchorage residents allowed to return home after massive avalanche, but dangerous conditions remain

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Residents in the Eagle River area of Anchorage were asked to evacuate after the massive avalanche cut off 100 homes without power Thursday night.

Mayor Dave Bronson said in an emergency order dated Saturday that the avalanche posed a grave and immediate threat to the health, safety and welfare of the area due to damaged buildings, compromised roads and residents being cut off and isolated.
Avalanche 60-80 feet deep cuts off houses in Anchorage
Affected residents were allowed back into the area Sunday night, the Anchorage Office of Emergency Management said in a series of tweets, but the agency noted, “We caution residents from returning to their homes until snow is removed.”

The snow removal process is expected to take two weeks, “if conditions remain safe,” the OEM update said.

Authorities previously said the avalanche was about 60-80 feet deep and 100 feet wide.

Police said there were no reports of anyone trapped in the snow and no homes were damaged, CNN reported Friday, but they noted the snow was extremely unstable.

“Safety teams have assessed potential risks for reentry. However, significant risks are still in place until snow clearing operations are complete,” the OEM said Sunday.

“Risks will be assessed day by day until further notice,” OEM officials added.

Crews will begin removing snow Monday if conditions allow, emergency officials said.

CNN’s Christine Sever contributed to this report.



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