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National Situation Update: Saturday, May 20, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

New England Flooding Update

Flood waters in New England continue to recede and the situation is gradually stabilizing as cleanup begins.  Precautionary monitoring continues, and flood watches and warnings continue in some areas.

Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) for Individual Assistance began Friday May 19 in New Hampshire , Maine , and Massachusetts .

PDAs for Public Assistance began Friday May 19 in Maine , and are scheduled to begin in New Hampshire and Massachusetts on Tuesday May 23.

There are no current reports of closures of Interstate Highways in any of the three States, and all airports and railways are reported as operational.  However, several bridges in Maine are still closed due to extensive flood damage.

All critical medical facilities are reported as operational. Selected assets of the National Disaster Medical System will remain on alert through the weekend.  Other Federal assets have returned to their normal duty.

FEMA Region I continues to monitor for potential dam failures and other flooding issues.

Per news media reports, the Red Cross will expand its relief efforts to provide clean-up kits and post-flood safety information, and the Salvation Army plans to continue to provide meals and other services to residents of the affected areas through the weekend, and perhaps beyond in some of the hardest hit areas.

Massachusetts Update:

• Emergency repairs have now been completed at the Haverhill wastewater treatment plant which had been discharging raw sewage into the Merrimack River due to flood damages.
• Current dams of concern are the Spicket Dam at Methuen , the Millyard Dam at Amesbury, and Walden Pond at Lynn .  Waters at the Spicket Dam have receded, the situation at the Millyard Dam is reported stabilized, and the reservoir level at Walden Pond is still being drawn down as a precautionary measure.
• Shelters continue to close as evacuees return to their homes.  On Friday, between 200 and 300 people still remained in shelters, mostly in the towns of Methuen , Saugus , and Peabody .
• Approximately 800 National Guard remain activated to support relief efforts, including transportation, traffic control, and flood mitigation.  The Guards have all-wheel-drive vehicles that can help transport personnel and equipment to support local responders.
• Significant Merrimack River debris was deposited on Newburyport Beach , and the town of Newburyport ( Essex County ) has requested State assistance to help with cleanup.

New Hampshire Update:

• On May 18, the evacuation of Bristol ( Grafton County ) was lifted.  Work on the dam was completed and water flow was stable enough to allow the evacuees to return to their homes.  Roads are open and the structure is stable.
• The State estimates that over 5,000 homes have been affected by the flooding, and businesses have been reported damaged in Canaan (Grafton County), Fremont (Rockingham County), Hillborough and Pelham (Hillsboro County), Madbury (Strafford County) and Tuftonboro (Carroll County).
• Over 800 National Guard remain activated to assist in security, sandbagging, traffic control, and evacuation.

Maine Update:

• The State continues to receive calls from York County residents impacted by the flooding.
• The following dams remain under close watch:  The Milton Three Ponds Dam at Lebanon , the Spaulding Pond Dam at Lebanon , and the Estes Dam at Sanford .
• The Southern Maine fishing industry was severely impacted as a result of shellfish bed closures and closed fishing grounds. ( FEMA Region 1, Media Reports ) 

Significant National Weather

West: The ridge of high pressure that has been responsible for the hot weather in the West will slowly slide off to the east allowing for cooler weather along the Pacific Coast. A Pacific storm system will slowly make its way ashore in the Pacific Northwest and Central California bringing clouds and showers to the region. Triple digit heat will hold on at least one more day across the Desert Southwest.

Midwest: A vigorous storm system is forecast to move into the Upper Midwest on Saturday bringing showers and strong to severe thunderstorms in Wisconsin, Michigan, and northern sections of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Temperatures will be above average for this time of the year across the Great Plains with afternoon highs in the 80s and 90s from South Dakota to Oklahoma.

South: The majority of the South and Southeast will be sunny to partly cloudy. A chance of scattered afternoon thunderstorms exists across the middle and upper South from North Carolina to the Mid-Mississippi River Valley. Some of the storms may reach severe limits with gusty winds and hail.

Northeast: A break between storm systems is expected today with partly cloudy skies and showers lingering from the Appalachians west to the Great Lakes. Rain in New England will slow the rate at which the flood waters are receding, and many small rivers and streams in New England will remain high with the Connecticut River near West Lebanon NH either at or near flood stage. (NWS, Media sources)

Alaska Flooding

The annual springtime river-ice "break-up" in Alaska continues to cause significant flooding problems in several remote villages in the Alaskan interior.  The Village of Koyukuk (pop. 110) at the confluence of the Yukon and Koyukuk rivers has flooded, damaging 15 homes and shutting down the water supply intakes.  In addition, the community's sewage lagoon has been overtaken by floodwaters creating a health hazard in the village.

Flood warnings have been issued for both the Yukon and Kobuk rivers which may cause flooding for downstream villages in the days ahead.
State/Local Response:  Approximately 80 residents of Koyukuk have been evacuated to Galena, and the Alaska Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is working on organizing a shelter in the Galena school gymnasium for evacuees. 

Potential Federal Involvement:  Region X has dispatched a liaison to the State ECC in Anchorage (at the State's request) to monitor the situation. (FEMA Region X)

Tropical Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

PDAs for Public Assistance are scheduled to begin in New Hampshire and Massachusetts on Tuesday May 23.

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)