Sealaska has committed $30,000 to assist with emergency relief and disaster preparedness efforts in Haines and Klukwan.  

The two communities have experienced severe flooding and mudslides in the past 10 days. The search for two Haines residents was called off after they disappeared in a mudslide on December 3, and more than 50 families are still under evacuation orders. Haines received 6.62 inches of rain on December 2 alone, which vastly exceeded the previous record of 1.37 inches. 

The Sealaska Board of Directors, including Director Karen Taug, a Haines resident, dedicated $15,000 to Chilkoot Indian Association to fund its disaster relief work in Haines; and $15,000 to Chilkat Indian Village in Klukwan to fund disaster preparedness work. 

“The community has really pulled together to help each other out,” Taug said. “As a board, we are happy to be able to lend a measure of support to those efforts.”