STATE OF ALASKA
DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY
AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
SITUATION REPORT 06-068 (as of 11:00 AM, March 9, 2006)
Homeland Security Advisory System – National Level: Yellow-Elevated
Homeland Security Advisory System – Alaska Level: Yellow-Elevated
State Emergency Coordination Center Preparedness Level 2: Responsible Level of Awareness State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Maritime Security (MARSEC) Level – Level I – Low. For ferries rated to carry 150 or more passengers and associated support facilities only.
Military installations in Alaska are at FPCON A.
State of Alaska Cyber Security Alert Level: Guarded
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 every Tuesday)
State of Alaska Situation
06 Feb South Central Storm
DHS&EM continues to monitor repairs to the power lines damaged during avalanches that occurred in the City of Seward and surrounding areas of the Kenai Peninsula last month. An avalanche destroyed approximately 2,000 feet of power line in the City of Seward forcing the City to utilize backup generators to provide emergency power to the community. The City of Seward and Kenai Peninsula Borough each declared local disaster declarations and requests for State disaster assistance on February 24, 2006. A Disaster Policy Cabinet meeting met this morning to discuss these requests and will provide their recommendations to the Governor in the next few days.
High Wind Warnings
- Northeast Prince William Sound including Valdez and Thompson Pass. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Anchorage is continuing the high wind warning for the Valdez area until 6 pm Friday. Although the wind has diminished somewhat a few gusts are possible to 75 mph today. Wind gusts will be coming frequent to around 75 mph with the strongest wind on Friday with gusts around 80 mph.
- Southeast Prince William Sound including Cordova. The NWS in Anchorage has extended the high wind warning for the Copper River Delta for tonight through 11 pm Friday. Wind gusts 85 to 100 mph will occur tonight into Friday night. Expect blowing dust with these very strong winds.
- Kodiak Island including Kodiak City. The NWS in Anchorage has continued the high wind warning for Kodiak Island through tonight. Expect gusts around 75 mph through tonight.
Blizzard Warning
The National Weather Service in Fairbanks has issued the following:
- St Lawrence Island and the Bering Strait Coast including Gambell, Savoonga, Brevig Mission, Teller, Wales and Diomede. Blizzard warning is now in effect from midnight tonight to 9 pm Friday for Saint Lawrence Island. Over Saint Lawrence Island, east winds will increase to 25 to 30 mph this evening and to 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 50 mph after midnight. Visibility will be reduced to near zero in snow and blowing snow after midnight. Blizzard conditions are expected to end by 9 pm Friday as wind speeds diminish and the snow ends.
Winter Storm Warnings
- Upper Tanana Valley and the Fortymile Country including Tok, Tanacross, Eagle, Tetlin, Northway, Alcan, Chicken and Boundary. Winter storm warning is now in effect until 9 pm this evening for areas south of Chicken. Up to 4 inches additional accumulation of snow may be expected today. Snow will taper off tonight. Total storm accumulations may be up to 15 inches. Local northwest winds 20 to 35 mph south of Chicken will produce locally poor visibilities in snow and blowing snow. Conditions will improve gradually beginning later this evening as winds diminish a bit.
-Eastern Alaska Range including Mentasta Lake, Black Rapids, Donnelly Dome, Trims Camp, Eagle Trail and Mineral Lake. Winter storm warning is now in effect until 9 pm this evening. Up to 4 inches additional accumulation of snow may be expected today. Snow will taper off tonight. Total storm accumulations will be up to 15 inches. North winds 20 to 35 mph will produce locally poor visibilities in snow and blowing snow. Conditions will improve somewhat beginning later this evening as winds diminish a bit.
Augustine Volcano
Current Level of Concern Color Code: Orange; March 9, 2006 9:05 AM. Beginning at approximately 0530 AST (1430 UTC) March 8, 2006, seismicity at Augustine Volcano increased markedly; as of about midnight AST (0900 UTC) March 9, 2006 it became more or less continuous. The amplitude of the seismicity is high, with the signal nearly saturating several instruments. Imagery from a low light camera in Homer show two distinct bright spots, the first at the summit, the second approximately midway down the north flank. Satellite imagery shows thermal anomalies at Augustine, as it has for the last several weeks. There are no indications of substantial ash emissions at this time. Taken together, these data probably indicate accelerated rates of magma extrusion, in the form of increased dome growth, vigorous lava flows,
or a combination of both. Extrusion of this kind creates local hazard, but is not likely to generate explosions, significant ash emissions, or a tsunami. Dome growth and lava flows will likely continue for weeks or months. Though diminished, the threat of renewed explosive activity remains significant. Brief, energetic explosions can occur with little or no warning. It is possible for such explosions to produce drifting ash clouds that could rise more than 25,000 feet above sea level. AVO is monitoring Augustine closely and the observatory remains staffed 24/7. An observation flight is planned for this afternoon.
For up-to-date Ashfall Advisories and wind trajectories, please refer to the National Weather Service website: http://pafc.arh.noaa.gov/augustine.php. The telephone recording on the Status of Alaska’s Volcanoes is (907) 786-7478.
Prudhoe Bay Oil Spill
An oil spill was reported to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) on the morning of 2 March 2006. The source of the spill was an above-ground 34 inch diameter crude oil transit line between Gathering Center 2 (GC-2) and GC 1, Western Operating Unit, Prudhoe Bay. The location of the leak was discovered on 5 March. The leak is from a small hole in the pipe discovered under the caribou crossing. Approximately 58,590 gallons of oil/water have been recovered as of 7:00 AM today, 9 March. A fact-finding investigation is being conducted with a team including BPXA and State of Alaska representatives.
More…_
International Situation
A bomb blast in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast today killed at least three people and wounded another 18, officials said. Authorities were investigating whether the attack in the city of Van, near the Iranian border, was a suicide bombing, an unidentified official at the governor's office said. More...
A dust storm enveloped Baghdad on Thursday as explosions killed 11 people and wounded 19 all civilians, police said. The U.S. military, meanwhile, confirmed that a mass abduction from a security firm was the work of kidnappers masquerading as Interior Ministry commandos. One of the deadly blasts targeted an Iraqi army patrol in Amariyah, a mostly Sunni neighborhood in west Baghdad, killing nine civilians and wounding six, according to Interior Ministry Maj. Falah al-Mohammedawi. At Yarmouk Hospital in west Baghdad, a car bomb killed two people and wounded 13 as they entered the clinic, according to police Lt. Thaer Mahmoud. More...
Iraq hanged 13 insurgents Thursday, marking the first time militants have been executed in the country since the U.S.-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein nearly three years ago, the government said. The Cabinet announcement listed the name of only one of those hanged, Shukair Farid, a former policeman in the northern city of Mosul, who allegedly confessed that he had worked with Syrian foreign fighters to enlist fellow Iraqis to carry out assassinations against police and civilians. The competent authorities have today carried out the death sentences of 13 terrorists, the Cabinet said.
More...
Significant Dates
March 9, 2002 - Suicide Bombing in Jerusalem. A suicide bombing in a Jerusalem restaurant killed 11 persons and wounded 52, one of whom was a U.S. citizen. The al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades claimed responsibility.
March 9, 2001 – Spain: ETA Bombing. Two policemen were killed by the explosion of a car bomb in Hernani, Spain.
March 9, 2000 – Colombia: FARC attacks town with artillery fire, missiles, loots bank, frees 100 prison inmates; no injuries.
March 9, 1983 - Serbia-Montenegro: Turkish Ambassador Attacked. Armenian terrorists attacked the Turkish ambassador, killing one Yugoslav student and wounding the ambassador and his driver.
The Next Situation Report: will be published as of 11:00 AM, March 10, 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.
Terrorist Groups: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/20119.pdf
Background Information on Other Terrorist Groups.
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