Alaska's capital city faced record floodwaters Wednesday stemming from a basin dammed by Alaska's Mendenhall Glacier, which released an "outburst flood" that threatened parts of Juneau.

Water levels in the Mendenhall River reached unprecedented heights in the early morning hours and peaked at around 7:15 a.m. local time before beginning to fall, the National Weather Service said . At its peak, the river's flood stage rose to 16.65 feet, topping the previous record of 15.99 feet set last year, according to forecasters.

Some Juneau residents in the flood zone evacuated Tuesday, heeding guidance from officials who warned the community: "Don't wait, Evacuate TONIGHT."

On Tuesday morning, authorities confirmed water had started escaping the ice dam, with flooding expected into Wednesday.

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