STATE OF ALASKA
DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT 06-353 (as of 11:00 AM, December 19, 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: Responsible Level of Awareness 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 World Health Organization Pandemic Phase - Phase 3: No or very limited human-to-human transmission (An Influenza Pandemic situation report, which contains an explanation of the WHO Pandemic Phases, is attached to this situation report and updated every Tuesday) State of Alaska Situation Heavy Snow Warnings The National Weather Service in Juneau has issued heavy snow warning for the following: - Taiya Inlet and Klondike Highway including the City of Skagway. Heavy snow warning is in effect until 9 am Wednesday. Snow will develop today over the higher elevations of the Klondike Highway and continue through early Wednesday morning. Total snow accumulation of one to two feet is expected through early Wednesday morning above 1500 feet. - Haines Borough and Lynn Canal including the City of Haines. Heavy snow warning is in effect until 9 pm this evening above 500 feet. Snow will increase throughout the day and become heavy at times over the higher elevations of the Haines Highway. Total snow accumulation of six to ten inches is expected above 500 ft through 9 pm. Snow will change to rain by late evening. High Wind Warnings High wind warning in effect this morning to midnight for the following: - Cape Fairweather to Cape Suckling Coastal area. - Salisbury Sound to Cape Fairweather coastal area. - Cape Decision to Salisbury Sound Coastal Area. - Dixon Entrance to Cape Decision Coastal Area. - Southern Inner Channels. - Misty Fjords. Blizzard Warnings The National Weather Service in Anchorage has issued blizzard warning for the following: A very strong storm system will track northward across the gulf today and tonight and reach western Prince William Sound Wednesday morning. Strong winds and snow will overspread the gulf coastal region today resulting in blizzard conditions for Kodiak Island and portions of the Prince William Sound region. Blizzard conditions are expected to taper off across Kodiak Island tonight as the snow ends and then across Prince William Sound late tonight into Wednesday morning as the low moves inland and winds diminish. - Western Prince William Sound including the Cities of Whittier, Seward, Girdwood and Moose Pass. Blizzard warning in effect until 9 am Wednesday. Snow will overspread Prince Western Prince William Sound this morning. North to east winds will increase to 15 to 30 mph this afternoon with stronger gusts through Portage Valley. The combination of snow and winds will result in near white-out conditions at times including portions of the Seward Highway. Visibilities will improve Wednesday morning when the storm moves inland and winds diminish. - Northeast Prince William Sound including the cities of Valdez and Thompson Pass. Blizzard warning is in effect until 9 pm Wednesday. Snow will overspread northeast Prince William Sound late this morning. Winds through Thompson Pass will increase to 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 50 mph. The combination of winds and snow through Thompson Pass will result in near white-out conditions at times beginning early this afternoon. There may be some improvement in visibility late this afternoon and evening as winds diminish, however, winds will shift to the southeast and increase again tonight. The threat of blizzard conditions will continue through Wednesday evening. Snow and winds are then expected to diminish. - Kodiak Island including Kodiak City. Blizzard warning is in effect until 11 pm this evening. Strong north to northeast winds and snow overspread Kodiak Island this morning. Winds will gradually shift to the northwest this afternoon at 25 to 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph and surface temperatures will fall below freezing. This will produce near white-out conditions at times in snow and blowing snow. Snow is expected to gradually end late this evening from south to north as the storm moves away from Kodiak Island. This will end the blizzard conditions, however, strong winds will continue through Wednesday. FEMA 1669-DR (’06 October Southern Alaska Storm) Effective December 8, 2006, a notice of Presidential Declaration of a major disaster for the State of Alaska was signed for the October 8-13, 2006 storm that caused severe flood damages in certain southern areas of Alaska under the authority of the Stafford Act. State disaster assistance 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 during the October 2006 flooding. Following the December 8, 2006 Presidential Disaster Declaration for the October 8-13, 2006 Storm, the U.S. Small Business Administration has now also declared for the Chugach REAA, Copper River REAA, and the Kenai Peninsula Borough. 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. Applicant briefings are now being conducted for FEMA 1669-DR-AK. FEMA in Alaska for two Federally-Declared Disasters A FEMA Joint Field Office in Anchorage is in support of two federally-declared disasters: 06 Hooper Bay Fire (FEMA 1666-DR-AK) and 06 August Southcentral Flooding (FEMA 1663-DR-AK). International Situation Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army has replaced al Qaeda in Iraq as the most dangerous accelerant of the sectarian violence plaguing Iraq for nearly a year, according to a Pentagon report. Attacks by Iraqi insurgents and sectarian militias jumped 22 percent from mid-August to mid-November, and Iraqi civilians suffered the bulk of casualties, according to the quarterly report released on Monday. More... Significant Dates December 19, 1998 – Philippines: Libyan-trained Abu Sayyaf leader Abdurajak Abuakar Jannalani dies in gunfight with authorities on Basilan Island. The Next Situation Report: will be published as of 11:00 AM, December 20, 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 Background Information on Other Terrorist Groups. Hyperlink: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/20120.pdf _ | ||