Alaska city issues evacuation orders after landslide leaves 1 dead and 3 injured. Officials worry another slide could strike
NATASHA CLEVENGER
By Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN
(CNN) — A landslide in southern Alaska on Sunday left one person dead and several others injured, and some residents have been ordered to evacuate as officials warn another slide could strike nearby.
Multiple homes, businesses and roadways were significantly damaged when the landslide tore down a hillside in the coastal city of Ketchikan, Alaska, around 4 p.m. Sunday, the city said in a release.
“In my 65 years in Ketchikan, I have never seen a slide of this magnitude,” Ketchikan Mayor Dave Kiffer said. “The loss of life that we have encountered is heartbreaking, and my heart goes out to those who lost their homes,” he added.
In addition to the person killed, three people were taken to a hospital with injuries, the city said in an update. One was treated and released, while the other two were admitted.
All residents have been accounted for, the city noted.
But some residents in the area were ordered to evacuate Sunday as city officials grew concerned that another landslide could be triggered south of the initial slide.
The evacuation area includes homes along Third Avenue, Second Avenue and Walter Street, First Avenue and White Cliff Avenue between Austin Street and Nadeau Street, according to the release.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster emergency declaration for Ketchikan, saying in a post on X that “all state agencies are directed to provide whatever assistance is needed.
“My thoughts and prayers are with residents of Ketchikan tonight,” the governor added.
Emergency shelter is available at a local high school and response crews are standing by in case another slide strikes, the city said.
City mayor Keffir and Borough Mayor Rodney Dial also issued a joint local disaster emergency declaration Sunday.
“As we work through this, please keep the affected families in your prayers and know we will do everything we can to recover from this event as quickly as possible and help those in need. We sincerely appreciate the first responders, medical personnel, volunteers, businesses and others offering assistance,” Dial said.
The slide sent a dense wave of snapped trees, toppled power poles and dirt crashing into a row of hillside homes. Images shared by the city show a wall of debris crashed against the side of several homes.
Power, phone and internet outages occurred in the area, according to local utility KPU Electric. The city warned of lines on the ground immediately after the slide.
Though service had been restored to many homes and businesses by Sunday night, at least six power poles still could not be repaired safely, KPU said in an update.
Photos shared by the utility showed a road completely blocked by a tangle of downed trees and what appears to be a power pole.
KPU Customer Service and City Hall offices will be closed Monday due to the slide, the city said in a Facebook post.
Residents are also likely to experience traffic delays as multiple roads are closed near the evacuation area, the city said in another post.
Ketchikan, with a population of about 14,000, is nestled along the southern portion of Alaska’s Inside Passage – a water route famed for its stunning landscapes, fjords and glaciers. The city claims to be the salmon capital of the world.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN’s Jillian Sykes and Amanda Jackson contributed to this report.
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