Manokotak residents have been without power for more than a week after a winter storm passed through the region, according to updates from the City of Manokotak Facebook page. Melvin Andrews, the mayor of Manokotak, issued a state of disaster emergency resolution and requested state aid on December 21.
The resolution asked for disaster relief funds to cover the labor, parts and equipment required to repair the city’s power infrastructure. That includes assisting in restoring power, water and sewer utilities to all areas affected by the outage. The community had many elderly and disabled members, and that frigid temperatures have caused pipes in homes to burst and made plumbing inoperable, according to the resolution.
Manokotak has opened its school as an emergency shelter. The local government said in a call to KDLG they need supplies like bottled water, propane tanks for heat, and blankets for the school. Blizzard conditions are expected to continue in the area until Saturday afternoon.
Manokotak sent an update that the Bristol Bay Native Corporation and the Bristol Bay Native Association had been notified of their requests and that the Alaska Energy Authority is working to resolve the generator issues.
Get in touch with the author at christina@kdlg.org or 907-842-2200.
