The City of Ketchikan has evacuated 3rd Avenue, 2nd Avenue, 1st Avenue, and White Cliff Avenue due to a major landslide and potential for secondary landslides. Ketchikan High School has been set up as emergency shelter.
Schools in Ketchikan were scheduled to start on Monday, but will not be opening, due to the landslide. One person is said to have died, several are in the hospital, and several people are missing, according to local reports.
The city is in the process of evacuating approximately 100-150 people in the surrounding area, according to reports. The weather in Ketchikan has been exceptionally windy and rainy.
“The low and associated front impacting the area will continue to hang over the southern panhandle for Sunday evening. Right now, the heaviest rains remain along the southern side of the front where we are still seeing heavy rain and strong winds. These conditions will start to diminish as we head into the evening allowing for improving conditions. But some wind and rain will be expected through tomorrow morning,” the National Weather Service said at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Ketchikan is Alaska’s furthest south major community, with a population of about 8,000. Fishing, tourism, and shipyard work are some of its main economic drivers. It is a naturally rainy community in the rain forest, with annual precipitation of about 140 to 160 inches of rain a year, much of it in the fall and winter.
In addition to the landslide, mud running under the pavement created some sinkholes around the area.
By 7 p.m. on Sunday, Gov. Mike Dunleavy had verbally announced a disaster declaration.
“All state agencies are directed to provide whatever assistance is needed. My thoughts and prayers are with the residents of Ketchikan tonight,” the governor said on X/Twitter.