Tuktoyaktuk (Jan 17/05) - Residents in this tiny Arctic Coast hamlet have shown winter is no match for Northerners.

Four days of blizzards and intense wind caused mayor Jackie Jacobson to declare a state of emergency in the community of approximately 1,000 residents Tuesday afternoon. But by Thursday morning, much was back to normal.

"We're pretty much back on track," said deputy mayor Merven Gruben.

A crew of 16 was working double shifts to clear the streets and dig out homes after 120-kilometre-an-hour winds buried parts of the hamlet in five- to eight-metre snow drifts. Every piece of heavy equipment in the city was enlisted to help in digging out.

"Some streets are still closed," said Gruben, who expected it would take until Sunday to clear away the built-up snow and re-open the ice road that connects the community with the south. "There's still some pretty good ones (snow drifts) now up," he said. "It just takes time."

Services in the community were all up and running.

Six homes lost power during the storm, one of them Gruben's, another his grandfather's.

Although he was able to power his home by running an extension cord from a nearby building, the other five homes froze. Those residents were able to stay with family or friends until power was restored Wednesday. "My grandfather is already back in his house, but there's no running water," he said. "The other four need a lot of work."

Two homes remained unfit to inhabit as of Thursday.

High winds also ripped shingles and siding off some homes, Gruben said, noting he was not aware of serious external damage. "The worst damage is in our little area where the houses had no power."

A plumber from Edmonton was to arrive Friday to begin work on the frozen homes. Damage is still being assessed.

Wind pressure caused the ice-topped shoreline to crack open and freezing ocean water to spew onto the ice road and shoreline.

"I never expected waters like that coming out, not in January," said Paul Voudrach, a resident who described seeing waves in the usually-frozen harbour.

One man even lost a snowmachine to the icy water.

"There is high water tide and this was more than high water tide, this was major flooding," said Sarah McKay of the Hunters and Trappers Committee. Several dogs were lost due to the high waters or exposure to the wind, McKay explained.

"It's hard to find a road now," said Gurdev Jagpal, regional superintendent for the Department of Transportation said.

Water overflows and five-metre snow drifts will require 80-90 kilometres of new path to be plowed, he explained.

"Many places we're abandoning the road and cutting a new road."

Four graders, six plow trucks, two loaders and 15 crew members were tasked with getting the ice road open by Friday evening. Once the road has re-opened, weight limits will be lower due to thin ice, Jagpal said.

The Emergency Measures Organization of the GNWT has not been directly involved in Tuktoyaktuk, said Kevin Rowe, community emergency measures co-ordinator.

After declaring a state of emergency, though, the community will complete whatever actions are needed to handle the situation, he explained. It can then apply for reimbursement from the territorial government.

"Hopefully the government will pick up the tab," Gruben said. "That's why we filed the state of emergency."

The community has withstood winds of this nature before, said the 42-year-old who has lived in the community his whole life.

"But not for this long."

No injuries have occurred, he said, but cautioned children to be careful and play in their backyards until workers and heavy machinery in the area have finished the clean up.

"We're trying to do this quick, there may be another storm coming."