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Dozens of hillside houses are uninhabitable because of the incident, said Alekka Fullerton, acting director of the Haines borough. Haines is approximately 92 miles north of Juneau.
“The whole side of the hill came down,” Fullerton said, adding that one road – Beach Road – is inaccessible and they couldn’t reach several people who live there. “The problem is, it’s dark now and it’s still very unstable.”
The United States Coast Guard, Alaska National Guard, and Alaska State Soldiers participate in search and rescue operations.
About thirty people were evacuated Wednesday evening. The local emergency operations center is asking local contractors to help locate heavy equipment to move debris out of the way.
In a written statement, the Mayor of Haines, Douglas Olerud, said: “Haines is going to need a lot of prayers.”
“We have several roads that have been destroyed, landslides and flooded houses,” he wrote.
With more rain expected, Fullerton said the ability of rescue teams to safely search for more people on Wednesday was under strain.
“They are very worried and I understand the search may be canceled overnight,” she said.
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