Landslide in Alaska claims one life and injures three people | Alaska

A landslide in the Alaska city of Ketchikan killed one person and injured three others, requiring a mandatory evacuation, authorities said.

Three people were taken to Ketchikan Medical Center following the landslide, which occurred around 4 p.m. local time on Sunday. The landslide also damaged homes and infrastructure, Ketchikan Gateway Borough and city officials said in a joint statement on Sunday.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy declared a state of emergency for Ketchikan. Borough Mayor Rodney Dial and city Mayor Dave Kiffer each declared a state of emergency.

“Friends, [it] “It is with heavy hearts that we announce that a landslide in the city has claimed one life, left several injured, damaged homes and impacted our community,” Dial said in the statement.

Kiffer said the loss of life was “heartbreaking and my condolences go out to those who have lost their homes.”

“In my 65 years in Ketchikan, I have never seen a landslide of this magnitude. Given the landslides we have seen throughout the region, there is clearly a regional problem that we need to try to understand with the assistance of our state geologist,” Kiffer said.

Two of the victims were hospitalized, one was treated and released. All other people have been found, the statement said.

Several homes were damaged by the landslide, and a mandatory evacuation was ordered for residents of Third Avenue and surrounding streets. An emergency shelter was set up at Ketchikan High School, the district and city said.

An area has been identified south of the original landslide site where a second landslide could possibly occur. Emergency services are on standby, the statement said.

Power was restored in some affected areas by 8:15 p.m. Other areas remain without power while the landslide is cleared and broken power poles are replaced, the municipality and city said.

Various local and state authorities responded to the landslide in the southeast Alaska city, which is about 478 kilometers south of the state capital Juneau.

A specialist from the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is expected to travel to Ketchikan on Monday along with employees from the federal Department of Transportation, Dunleavy said.

“I have directed state agencies to dedicate all resources and personnel to the relief effort,” Dunleavy said, noting that the city is receiving support from the state's emergency operations center.