Emergency declared in Ketchikan as landslide damages homes, claims one life and leaves 3 injured, Alaska
Image credit: Ketchikan Gateway Borough
A deadly landslide struck the city of Ketchikan, Alaska at 16:00 LT on Sunday, damaging multiple homes and powerlines. The landslide claimed one life and left three people injured, prompting a mandatory evacuation in the region.
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy declared an emergency for Ketchikan, while Borough Mayor Rodney Dial and City Mayor Dave Kiffer issued a separate emergency declaration.
A mandatory evacuation order is in effect for homes in the affected areas and surrounding neighborhoods due to concerns about a potential “secondary landslide south of the original slide area,” according to an official statement.
“In my 65 years in Ketchikan, I have never seen a slide of this magnitude. With the slides we have seen across the region, there is clearly a region-wide issue that we need to try to understand with the support of our State geologist,” said Mayor Kiffer.
Schools in Ketchikan were scheduled to start on Monday, August 26, but will not be opening due to the landslide. An emergency shelter has been set up for people in the affected regions.
Power was restored across most of the city at around 20:00 LT, except in the affected areas where power will remain shut off until the area is cleared and the broken power poles are replaced.
— Old Man Otos (@otos_austin) August 26, 2024
“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 improved conditions. However, some wind and rain are expected through tomorrow morning,” said the National Weather Service (NWS) on Sunday.
References:
1 Breaking: Major landslide in Ketchikan – Must Read Alaska – August 26, 2024
2 1 dead, 3 injured in Ketchikan landslide that damaged homes and forced evacuations – Anchorage Daily News – August 26, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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