ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The Matanuska-Susitna Borough has declared a disaster after a prolonged windstorm brought hurricane-force gusts that damaged homes, toppled power lines and shutdown businesses across the region from December 5-9.
Borough officials said gusts reached at least 89 miles per hour, with winds regularly exceeding 50 mph throughout the storm. Local agencies reported widespread property damage, including destroyed fences, damaged vehicles and impacts to public utilities.
The borough said the scale of the damage “exceeds the timely and effective response capability of local resources,” prompting a request for state disaster assistance for residents, businesses and public facilities…