Alaskan authorities have transitioned the search for three missing individuals after a landslide engulfed a section of the Alaskan Highway from active to reactive. The landslide occurred near the town of Wrangell around 9 p.m. on Monday, resulting in the deaths of three individuals and the destruction of three homes.
"After conducting three distinct search operations, which involved utilizing drones, helicopters, and planes for aerial searches; trained professionals and K9 scent detection dogs for ground searches; and K9 teams with sonar for water-based searches, search teams have covered all accessible areas without the need for heavy machinery," the Alaska Department of Public Safety announced in a news release on Thursday.
A helicopter arrives as that scene as search and rescue dogs and their handlers stand by on Wednesday November 22.
Willis Walunga/Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management/AP
The state's transportation department will assist authorities in clearing the roadway and searching for the three missing individuals who may be buried in the slide area, according to the release. If new evidence indicates that the missing people might be in a specific area, authorities may resume the active search.
Even as the active search wraps up, finding the three missing Alaskans remains a priority for the State of Alaska and the Alaska State Troopers, the release stated. "We extend our deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and loved ones of the three deceased and three missing Alaskans."
During the initial search and rescue efforts, the Alaska Department of Public Safety reported the discovery of the body of a young girl on Monday, followed by the location of two others by a drone operator on Tuesday. The department announced that the names of the deceased and missing individuals will be released on Friday, according to a statement released on Thursday.
The Department of Transportation in Alaska reported that the path of the landslide expanded to approximately 450 feet wide and left behind a substantial amount of debris.
The landslide occurred in an area that had experienced heavy rainfall on Sunday and Monday, with over 3 inches of rain reported in Wrangell in the 24 hours prior, according to Andy Park, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Juneau, who spoke with CNN.
Park reported that winds reaching 61 to 87 mph on Monday evening may have contributed to the occurrence of landslides. Barrett Salisbury, a geologist with the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, stated in a news conference that the southeast Alaska region is already prone to debris flows. He noted that heavy rainfall, rapid snowmelt, or saturated soil further elevate the risk of such natural disasters.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has issued a disaster declaration in Wrangell due to the effects of the landslide, his office posted on social media.
