As the wind and rain raged on on Saturday, a fire destroyed the Bering Sea Bar and Grill along the Nome waterfront and Front Street. Residents of the adjacent building heard several explosions before the restaurant was quickly engulfed in flames. The historic Nugget Inn next door was able to be saved by the Nome Volunteer Fire Department, which razed the restaurant in order to prevent the fire from spreading during the 30-50 mph winds. The explosions may have been propane tanks. It’s unclear if part of the hotel was damaged.
Firefighters from the Nome Fire Department were able to save nearby buildings. Portions of town were without power and internet, including the nearby Nome Visitor Center, which lost its webcam Saturday evening.
Typhoon Merbok cut a fierce path of destruction in many communities in Western Alaska, and places like Golovin, Hooper Bay, and Nome were in the teeth of the massive storm for hours. In Nome, peak water level height was 10.52 feet at around 11 am Alaska Time on Saturday, with water surging onto Front Street and other low-lying areas. The airport was closed. Overnight the circular motion of the storm broke apart and the winds are now coming from the north, bringing colder air to the region.
“We’re going to move as quickly as we can to provide relief, to provide recovery, to provide the essentials that people need, and so we’re taking this very seriously,” said Gov. Mike Dunleavy during an evening press conference. It’s likely that the National Guard will be mobilized to the area to assist the many small communities that have been severely damaged.
Photo from video by unknown.
I pray for our coastal communities.
The Lord is angry with us.
Our Lord isn’t angry at western alaska nor us. He loves us!!!! This is nature, as well as the trembling and groaning like woman’s labor pains cause the Lord and his day is nearer. Storms and earthquakes more intense and frequent.
To relate morality to meteorology probably isn’t advisable.
Sorry to hear about Bering Sea burning down! ? They served up good food. Let’s hope the Board of Trade came away intact, losing the B.O.T. would have be a historic loss for Nome.
Nomainians are a tough lot and will surely work their way past this Storm.
On another note, I bet the storm churned up some gold along the beach!
Thanks for the reporting Suzanne.
That photo is dramatic. We must give credit to the firemen being able to contain it.
I was thinking about my last trip to Nome. Amazing place, especially the area just east of the hills.
I debated moving there a couple years ago. Passed on it due to cost of living. If the AK Railroad ran there, I might be there now.
So will uhm the port of alaska hold up next anchorage big earthquake. Or are the assembly unlucky #13 and mayor still cat-fighting?
No it won’t survive nor will Anchorage. The end is near. There are earthquakes in divers places. There is pestilence. Aliens Walk among Us. Yes the sky is falling and it’s called asteroids. All this is normal though and has been going on since the beginning of time. Even the apostles thought the second coming would happen in their lifetime. So all you stump jumpers waving a Bible around had better check your hypocrisy at the golden gates.
This is terrible news for us having had dinner there this summer. It was the best place for us to eat because the bar and restaurant were separate and we could sit in a booth at a window looking out on the sea. We hope the Dredge 7’s rustic Bonanza Suite is ok.
There’s that good little pizza place right around the corner. Probably the best pizza in 500 miles next to great pizza in King Salmon.
Unfortunately most of Front Street Building construction is not built for the winter storms. Without shore ice the Nome seawalls are going to get more battered in winter and more buildings damaged. Nice that NBC news creditd community leaders John Handeland and Jim West Jr.,for their videos.
Hmmmmm. Cause and origin will be a curious thing.
THE CABAL?
Very sad for the folks of Nome and all the rest of us that have many great memories from the “Bering Sea Saloon”, Fat Freddies and back in the day the “Frivolous Front Street Follies”. Kudos to the Nome firefighters that apparently were able to save the Nugget Hotel.
Comments are closed.