Juneau residents grapple with whether to stay or flee as glacial outburst floodwaters rise

By: Alix Soliman, KTOO, Clarise Larson, KTOO, Corinne Smith

Outlets: Alaska Beacon

Published: August 13, 2026

Words: 973

Last Updated: 5 days, 12 hours ago

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As the Mendenhall River swells with glacial outburst floodwater, hundreds of people living in the suburban valley below spent Tuesday night and Wednesday preparing to evacuate or hunker down. The National Weather Service predicts the flood will crest Thursday.

Officials managing the flood response recommended residents evacuate by 3 p.m.

On Marion Drive, Ann Lind plans to watch the flood from her second-story balcony overlooking the Mendenhall River.

“I got lawn chairs up …

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