Record flooding destroys homes along the Mendenhall River near Juneau, Alaska

The water level in Mendenhall Lake near Juneau, Alaska, crested at 14.97 feet at around 11.15p.m. on Saturday, with the previous record being 11.99 feet in 2016.

Flooding came as a result of the sudden burst of the Suicide Basin, a glacier-dammed lake filled with water and ice.

A glacier-dammed lake is a reservoir being held back by ice. It often happens that a crack will form in the ice barrier and water will slowly erode it until it bursts. Then, it will freeze again while empty and the cycle will restart.

In this case, the water stored in the Suicide Basin, next to the Mendenhall Glacier, was released into Mendenhall Lake, before running down the Mendenhall River.

The water came down the river with such force that it eroded its banks and destroyed at least two houses, while damaging another one on its path.

According to the National Weather Service, the Suicide Basin has been bursting since 2011.

Finally, one of the houses that collapsed was caught on video by a local resident.