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National Geographic : 1982 Sep
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Instantblizzard explodes overJuneau, Called the nation'sworst risk for a - Alaska, as the snow-dust cloudfrom the major avalanchedisaster,Alaska's Gold Creek avalanche (above) blasts capital (right) has expanded into ALASKA over the downtown areain 1972. Small avalanchepaths. One subdivision, , | hills at the mouth of the creek diverted along BehrendsAvenue (drawing, left), S .the slide upward. was built in the slide path of avalanches 4S4u"neau that at least once reached the waterfront. But becauseno major slides have hit in the past 20 years, residents there say they aren't afraid. "If it comes down and does a little bit of damage, we could eventually replace that," one homeowner explained. "If it comes down and wipes us out, then it will be too POTTA A Nlate to worry." In Switzerland many towns enforce restrictionsagainstbuildingin such high-risk areas. But Juneau's government and many citizens have been reluctantto adoptsuch measures, despite grim warningsfrom leading avalanche experts. KEY TO PHOTOGRAPH AT RIGHT 292
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