Chilkat Valley residents woke to widespread flooding and mudslides on Dec. 2 after the weather station at the airport recorded 5.49 inches of rain on Dec. 1, a new record for rainfall in a 24-hour period. Between Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, the weather station received 8.63 inches of rain. “I watched my shoes float […]
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Posted inNews, Climate
Changing climate means more landslides in future, scientists say in wake of Haines disaster
The Dec. 2 slope failure at Beach Road that left two residents missing is at once tragic and unexpected, and also not at all surprising for Southeast Alaska, according to state geologists. The region is prime landslide territory and a changing climate-trending toward warmer, rainier winters-is likely to increase the frequency of slides in the […]
Posted inNews
Be on the lookout for scammers in the wake of natural disasters, state officials say
Natural disasters like the widespread flooding and landslides in Haines this week can bring out the best in people-an outpouring of volunteerism, donations and small acts of kindness-but the situation is also ripe for scammers, according to state officials. On Friday, Haines resident Lea Harris received a Facebook message from somebody who claimed they were […]
Posted inNews
Beach Road residents ask for organized effort to winterize homes, Mayor cites ongoing landslide risks
Some Beach Road residents want to travel to their homes to winterize houses, dispose of food and bear attractants and retrieve valuables before cold weather sets in. Geoscientists say the area remains unstable and that more landslides could occur between the Chilkoot Indian Association dock and the Battery Point trailhead. The area remains under mandatory […]
Posted inNews
Upper Mount Riley Road houses evacuated based on available geoscience data
Houses on upper Mount Riley Road are now under mandatory evacuation. On Tuesday, the Haines Borough Emergency Operations Center (EOC) refined landslide areas of concern based on data collected by state geologists and crowdsourced from residents over the past few days. The EOC has created three categories to describe landslide risk: “be prepared,” “elevated alert,” and “evacuate,” […]
Posted inNews
AP&T crew installs temporary lines, restores power to Lutak homes
AP&T crews restored power at about 3 p.m. Sunday to the 46 homes toward the end of Lutak Road that have been without electricity since late Tuesday night. AP&T operations manager Lance Caldwell said workers temporarily routed cables along the side of the road and the lines will be susceptible to future runoff. “Unfortunately, it will be […]
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Geohydrologists remain in town to monitor landscape as rain continues, spring melt could pose additional risks
A team of state geologists briefed displaced residents Sunday evening and said small, localized instabilities are still occurring across the landscape as rain continues to fall, and areas that slide will pose risks come spring. “It will take time before the soils are back to the way they used to be and freezing is not […]
Posted inNews, Search and Rescue
Troopers suspend search for Simmons and Larson
The Alaska State Troopers suspended search operations Monday for Jenae Larson, 23, and David Simmons, 30, who went missing last week after a massive landslide above Beach Road. Mayor Douglas Olerud notified the community early Monday evening that continued rain and the risk of more landslides have prevented further search efforts of the debris field. “We […]
Posted inSearch and Rescue, Southeast News
Volunteers turnout to assist with search for Simmons and Larson
Roughly 100 masked volunteers met at 6 a.m. at the Haines Borough Public Safety building on Thursday, Dec. 3 to assist with the search for two residents still missing after the Beach Road mudslide-30-year-old Haines Economic Development Corporation executive director David Simmons and Haines School kindergarten teacher Jenae Larson, in her early 20s. “I’m here because I […]
Posted inNews
Committee asks borough to step up bear-attractant law enforcement
The Upper Lynn Canal Fish and Game Advisory Committee (ULCFGAC) is asking the Haines Borough to address the local bear problem through stronger enforcement of bear-attractant laws and the development of education and grant programs to help people secure their attractants. At a meeting Monday, the board voted to send a letter to the borough requesting these actions. This […]