Ice jams that blocked two Alaska rivers broke loose over the weekend, unleashing a surge of ice and water that caused major floods, damaged homes and left behind huge chunks of ice as tall as 12 feet (3.7 meters).
Floodwaters on the Yukon River peaked at or near record level in the small community of Circle — the highest since 1945 — said Mike Ottenweller, a forecaster with the Alaska-Pacific River Forecast Center. Flooding could continue for the next few weeks as more snow melts, he said.
