Landslide claims at least one life and forces Alaska town to evacuate after homes damaged

KETCHIKAN, Alaska – A landslide on Alaska’s southeast coast has killed one person, injured several others and damaged homes and infrastructure.

The possibility of a second landslide south of the first landslide that hit Ketchikan around 4 p.m. Sunday remains a concern, officials from the Ketchikan Gateway Borough and the City of Ketchikan said in a joint statement Sunday.

“I'm really worried about them because the weather hasn't let up down there,” said resident Theodora Bayou. “It's still raining and storming and my house in Metlakatla, just outside of Ketchikan, hasn't had power since yesterday.”

An evacuation order was issued for residents of Third Avenue and surrounding streets, and an emergency shelter was set up at a nearby high school, about 300 miles south of Juneau, following the landslide.

“In my 65 years in Ketchikan, I have never experienced a landslide of this magnitude,” said Ketchikan Mayor Dave Kiffe. “The loss of life we ​​have experienced is heartbreaking, and my condolences go out to those who have lost their homes.”

In addition to the confirmed death, three other people were also taken to Ketchikan Medical Center. One person was treated and released, while two others were admitted. At this time, all other people have been accounted for, officials said.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ketchikan tonight,” said Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy after declaring a state of emergency late Sunday night.

Most of the power had been restored by 8:15 p.m. Sunday, to the extent that it was safe to restore it. More utilities in the area will be restored over the next few days as each area is cleared for safety reasons, authorities said. Some homes near the landslide zone will remain without power until the area is cleared and the broken power poles are replaced.

“As we work through this situation, please keep the affected families in your prayers. Rest assured that we will do everything in our power to recover from this event as quickly as possible and assist those in need,” said Ketchikan Gateway District Mayor Rodney Dial.

The State Emergency Operations Center is now staffed and assisting the city.

A Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management response specialist and Department of Transportation personnel will travel to Ketchikan on Monday morning to assess necessary response efforts.

“Given the landslides we've seen throughout the region, this is clearly a region-wide problem that we need to try to understand with the assistance of our state geologist,” Kiffer said.

The American Red Cross said it was coordinating volunteer assistance and donations for the victims of the landslide.

Heavy rains on November 20 killed six people, including a family of five, in Wrangle, about 100 miles from Ketchikan. Two homes were destroyed and a section of highway was flooded.