Huge mansion collapses into Alaskan river as Mendenhall Glacier's 'Suicide Basin' breaks: Watch

Reportedly, millions of gallons of water were released from a glacier-dammed lake

Published on: Aug 8, 2023, 11:05:54 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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A mansion was seen in a video collapsing into a river in Alaska and being swept away by water. Reportedly, millions of gallons of water were released from a glacier-dammed lake. The white home tragically collapsed into the waters of the Mendenhall River, in Juneau, during flooding on Saturday, August 5.

A mansion was seen in a video collapsing into a river in Alaska and being swept away by water (@WeatherNation screenshot/X)

The land around the building that was pulled into the waters had been eroding for about six hours. The building tore down and washed away within a matter of a few seconds. Various residents of at-risk properties had to be evacuated. At least two buildings were destroyed. As per a news release from the City and Borough of Juneau, the flooding of the Mendenhall River occurred after a major release from Suicide Basin above Alaska's capital city.

“The CBJ Community Development Department has authorized emergency bank stabilization on the Mendenhall River to address immediate threats to property and safety. Emergency bank stabilization is not authorized to reclaim land,” the release reads.

“Property owners may proceed with the work immediately. As soon as possible and no later than one month from the start of work, property owners must apply for an after-the-fact grading permit and Floodplain Development Permit with documentation of the work and certification from an engineer licensed in the State of Alaska,” it adds.

According to National Weather Service, Suicide Basin has released glacier lake outburst floods since 2011, causing “inundation along Mendenhall Lake and Mendenhall River.” “The largest outburst flood event to date occurred in July 2016. Over 16,000 cubic feet per second of water flowed through the Mendenhall River. That’s nearly the level of discharge of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and nearly ten times greater than the average water flow of the Mendenhall River in summer,” Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center says.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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