TETLIT'ZHEH/FORT MCPHERSON
After severe flooding near the hamlet that sent at least one cabin floating down the Peel River, the community of Fort McPherson is recovering.
This cabin, which used to be located several kilometres upstream from Fort McPherson, was picked up by the rising waters of the Peel River on May 28 and carried downstream. Here, the cabin floats past Eight-Mile. - photo courtesy of David Cook
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No one was injured during the flood, however several cabins were damaged and pushed around by the rising waters.
The ice jam that caused the flood had mostly broken up and the water was returning to normal on May 30, said Tetlit Gwich’in Council Chief William Koe.
"The last we got is the water is settled down and the ice is moving up the Mackenzie now," he said. "I'd just like to thank everyone that checked in with us here in the community to see how we were doing."
Koe estimated between 10 and 20 residents were affected by the flood. Most of the buildings damaged by the high waters were cabins, not permanent dwellings.
The worst of the flooding occurred upstream of the community, where one wood cabin with a green roof was taken by the river and was observed by photographer David Cook as it floated by Eight-Mile, a popular public site near the community.
This is not the first time residents in the hamlet lost cabins to the surging river. Last spring, a similar flood during spring breakup destroyed a number of cabins.
Koe's own cabin located downstream from the hamlet also flooded, which the chief said has happened three or four times before.
"I'm going to build another cabin but I'm going to build it on a little hill this time," he said, laughing.
