STATE OF ALASKA
DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT 06-361 (as of 11:00 AM, December 27, 2006)
Homeland Security Advisory System – Alaska Level: Yellow-Elevated State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management State Emergency Coordination Center Preparedness Level 1 State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Maritime Security (MARSEC) Level – Level I – Low. Military installations in Alaska are at FPCON A. State of Alaska Cyber Security Alert Level: Guarded State of Alaska Cyber Security State of Alaska Situation Adak Power Problems Adak experienced power generation problems starting on December 24 and continuing through today. This caused a loss of power to the community and the airport, resulting in a loss of runway lights and navigational aids. This also caused the local telephone system to fail intermittently, resulting in a loss of local and long distance telephone service. At this time, the generator is back on and the homes and airport have power again. Local telephone service and intermittent outgoing long distance service has also been restored. The city is working with the long distance carriers to try to resolve the telephone problems. At this time, Adak is not requesting State assistance. The SECC has been monitoring the situation and has been in regular contact with officials and representatives of Adak. The SECC has also been coordinating potential response actions with the Alaska National Guard, Alaska DOT, FAA, USCG and other state and federal agencies. Sheveluch Volcano (Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia) Sheveluch Volcano on the Kamchatka peninsula is currently undergoing continuous low level eruptions. Ash plumes from this event are projected to pass near the western end of the Aleutians and may pose a hazard to aircraft. For information releases on this volcano, please see the Kamchatka information release page on the Alaska Volcano Observatory web site: http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/avoreport.php?view=kaminfo For information on potential hazards to avaition within Alaska airspace, please see the Alaska Avaition Weather Unit web site at: http://aawu.arh.noaa.gov/aawuapps/sigmets.php High Wind Warnings The National Weather Service has issued high wind warnings for the following areas: - Anchorage area including Anchorage, Eagle River, Indian and Eklutna until 5 am Thursday for Turnagain Arm and higher elevations. A strong weather front is moving into south central Alaska this afternoon through tonight. This front will bring high winds to western Turnagain arm and for higher elevations in the Anchorage area. East to southeast winds will increase this afternoon with gusts to 75 to 80 mph along Turnagain Arm and higher elevations. These conditions will continue through most of the night and then diminish toward morning. - Southeast Prince William Sound area including Cordova from 3 pm this afternoon to 5 am Thursday. A strong weather front is moving into south central Alaska this afternoon through tonight. This front will bring high winds to southeastern Prince William Sound. East winds will increase late this afternoon to 50 mph with gusts to 80 mph. These conditions will continue through most of the night and then diminish toward morning. Blizzard Warnings The National Weather Service has issued blizzard warnings for the following areas: - Bristol Bay including King Salmon, Dillingham, Naknek and Pilot Point until 6 pm today. A front associated with a low pressure system south of the Alaska Peninsula will then track northward across Bristol Bay today. North to east wind gusting 35 to 50 mph accompanied by snow will result in blizzard conditions as the front moves across the Bristol Bay region. Expect visibilities to be reduced to one quarter mile or less at times in snow and blowing snow. Winds are expected to diminish by this evening and visibilities will improve. However, areas of snow and blowing snow will continue through tonight. - Central Aleutians including Atka and Adak through 5 am Thursday. Strong northwest flow on the backside of a low pressure system in the eastern Aleutians will bring heavy snow showers and north winds gusting as high as 65 mph to the central Aleutians today. This will result in blizzard conditions with visibilities reduced to one quarter mile or less at times in snow and blowing snow. These conditions are expected to continue through tonight. Winds and snow will then gradually diminish as the low moves off to the south late tonight and Thursday. - Pribilof Islands including Saint Paul until 4 pm this afternoon. North winds gusting 40 to 50 mph combined with snow are producing blizzard conditions on the Pribilof Islands with visibilities reduced to zero at times in snow and blowing snow. Expect blizzard conditions to persist through Thursday afternoon. Conditions are expected to improve slightly by late Thursday as the snow intensity diminishes. However, snow showers and gusty winds are expected to continue through Friday. FEMA 1669-DR-AK (06 October Southern Alaska Storm) Effective December 8, 2006, a Presidential Declaration of a major disaster for the State of Alaska was signed for the October 2006 storm that caused severe flood damages in certain southern areas of Alaska. Applicant briefings have been completed for Cordova, Valdez and Kenai Peninsula Borough. State Individual Assistance for 06 October Southern Alaska Storm is available to individuals and families in the Cordova, Glennallen, Valdez and Seward areas who suffered damages to real property (primary residence), personal property and transportation. U.S. Small Business Administration assistance is available in the Chugach REAA, Copper River REAA, and Kenai Peninsula Borough areas. The application period to apply for State Disaster Assistance is November 27, 2006 to January 26, 2007. Persons wishing to apply should call 1-800-921-3682. FEMA in Alaska for Federally-Declared Disasters A FEMA Joint Field Office in Anchorage is in support of three federally-declared disasters: 06 Hooper Bay Fire (FEMA 1666-DR-AK), 06 August Southcentral Flooding (FEMA 1663-DR-AK) and 06 October Southern Alaska Storm (FEMA 1669-DR-AK). National Situation Gerald R. Ford, who picked up the pieces of a shattered presidency in the wake of the "long, national nightmare" of Watergate, has died. He was 93. More... DOE Inspector General’s report says FERC's Dam Security Program too weak. According to a recently released report by the Department of Energy's Inspector General, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) lacked in ensuring licensees followed through on security improvements; lacked documentation and quality control of security assessments; and lacked documentation of yearly security inspections. More... 'Merry Christmas to our heroes' e-mail installs malicious code. A popular Christmas PowerPoint file has been modified to incorporate malicious code that gives an attacker unauthorized access to infected systems, iDefense sent out a warning on Sunday, December 24. In an e-mail warning, iDefense said that the e-mail with the subject "Merry Christmas to our hero sons and daughters!" and the attachment Christmas+Blessing-4.ppt "silently installs a backdoor Trojan horse on vulnerable computers." This version of the Hupigon (sometimes also called Hupigeon) Trojan installs two files on a compromised system. More... A Train station was closed after man spills mercury. Things are now back to normal because a man intentionally spilled mercury on the platform. A security camera recorded a man pouring about two ounces of the potentially lethal metal out of a container early Saturday morning. More... International Situation BEIJING, China-The body of a U.S. climber missing for more than a month has been found on a remote mountain in southwestern China while a second climber is still missing and presumed dead, a rescue coordinator said Wednesday. More... Terrorism fear as boom in price of uranium pulls in new miners, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is concerned that a doubling in the price of uranium has attracted so many miners to the sector that inspectors may not be able to keep track of the new supplies. More... The toll in Nigerian pipeline blast is now at 260. A ruptured gasoline pipeline burst into flames Tuesday, December 26, as scavengers collected the fuel in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, killing at least 260 people and injuring 60, the Nigerian Red Cross witnesses said thieves had broken into the pipeline after midnight and hundreds of men, women, and children had been collecting leaking fuel in plastic buckets, cans and bags for hours before the explosion. More... Significant Dates December 27, 2003:- Italy: European Commission President survives parcel bomb attack A book sent to President Prodi bursts into flames as he opens it, leaving Prodi unhurt. The Informal Anarchic Federation is suspected in the attack. December 27, 1985:- Abu Nidal group attacks Rome and Vienna airports; 18 dead and 121 wounded. December 27, 1949:-Indonesia: Transfer of Sovereignty was transferred from the Netherlands following independence. The Next Situation Report: will be published as of 11:00 AM, December 28, 2006. A significant change in the situation or the threat level will prompt an interim report. Direct questions regarding this report to Wayne Rush at 907-428-7032 or wayne_rush@ak-prepared.com. How to reach the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management: Phone the State Emergency Coordination Center (SECC) by dialing (907) 428-7100 or 1-800-478-2337, 24 hours per day. Information on emergency topics is available on the Division's web site at http://www.ak-prepared.com. Homeland Security information may be found at http://www.ak-prepared.com/homelandsecurity/ How to reach the Division of Administration –State Cyber Security Program: If you have questions you may contact Darrell Davis, State Computer Security Officer, at darrel_davis@admin.state.ak.us. For further information: Being prepared: Ready.gov Countries: U.S. State Department Background Notes. Maps: United Nations Cartographic Section Terrorist Groups: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/20119.pdf http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/20120.pdf | ||