Mystery Of The Missing Six People In Alaska After It Rains

Illustration (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Six people in Haines, Alaska are declared missing after heavy rains triggered landslides and destroyed four homes in the southeastern mountains.

Not only the houses were destroyed, landslides also covered the local area with mud, trees and debris as high as 9 feet. This was conveyed by an Alaska state police.

Troops and police evacuate residents by boat. But the search for the missing person was postponed Wednesday night. "Due to the unstable rumbling ground," the force said.

The search for people continued today, the rescue team fielded National Guard Helicopters. In addition, bloodhounds and medical personnel also intervened.

Then, the US Coast Guard also assisted in the search and evacuation process. They sent a helicopter crew and a ship to Haines, and had two cutters ready to launch.

The government of the Haines Borough, home to some 2,500 people, has issued a declaration of emergency for the storm that started on Monday, November 30.

Rain is expected to continue, and soil conditions are unstable. The potential for additional debris flow and landslides over the next 24 hours is high. Haines is on the northern tip of the Alaska Inside Passage, a popular summer cruise destination.

Landslides, floods and strong winds from hurricanes damaged other parts of southeast Alaska, officials and local news reported.

The storm set several records for one-day rainfall, including 4 to 5 inches in Juneau, 5.37 inches on Skagway and 9.75 inches in the small fishing village of Pelican, according to the National Weather Service preliminary figures.

The flash flood warning remains in effect for Haines and other territories, and hazardous conditions continue throughout southeastern Alaska, the National Weather Service said in a statement.

Residents are asked to avoid being outside in forested areas and around trees and branches, the weather service said.