Ketchikan landslide claims second life

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Ketchikan landslide, Aug. 25, 2024

The rescue operation continues in Ketchikan, with active search, rescue, evacuation, and sheltering operations ongoing.

Emergency personnel have concerns about the potential for another slide, and more wet weather approaches this week in Ketchikan, in Alaska’s southern panhandle. Alaska State Troopers are on scene supporting the search and rescue efforts and mutual aid has been requested from Juneau’s Capital City Fire and Rescue. Gov. Mike Dunleavy has declared a disaster and asked all departments to give whatever help they can.

The Alaska Division of Emergency Management says there have now been two fatalities reported and eight injuries.

The Ketchikan Public Health Center will not be seeing patients today, Aug. 26. If you had an appointment scheduled for today, reach out to the Public Health Center to reschedule. If you need immediate medical assistance, they advise calling 9-1-1.

Original story from Sunday, Aug. 25:

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, three were hospitalized for injuries, and several people were missing, according to local reports. Update 4 a.m. Aug. 26: All missing are now reportedly accounted for.

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.

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