Diocese of Alaska calls for prayers in response to deadly landslide in Ketchikan
The Diocese of Alaska is calling for prayers as the city of Ketchikan recovers from an Aug. 25 landslide that has killed one person and injured three others. Photo: Diocese of Alaska/Facebook
[Episcopal News Service] The Diocese of Alaska is calling for prayers as the city of Ketchikan recovers from an Aug. 25 landslide that has killed one person and injured three others.
“Please join us in prayer for the community of Ketchikan and the congregation of St John’s who are experiencing landslides and flooding today,” the diocese posted on its Facebook page on Aug. 26. “If you are in town, be safe and care for yourself and those around you.”
Ketchikan, located on Revillagigedo Island in Southeast Alaska, is a popular cruise ship stop. It’s also home to St. John’s Episcopal Church, which has closed temporarily because of the landslide. The Rev. Alan Rockwood, St. John’s deacon, is in touch with Alaska Bishop Mark Lattime, according to the diocese’s Facebook page.
The landslide caused 60 nearby homes to evacuate. Several homes and businesses are damaged, flooded or destroyed. Ketchikan High School is serving as an emergency shelter.
“We grieve the one life lost while continuing to pray for those recovering in the hospital,” the Diocese of Alaska said on Facebook. “We pray for all who have been displaced.
Landslides are common in Southeast Alaska. However, they typically hit remote, unpopulated areas, according to the Associated Press. Ketchikan, which is surrounded by Tongass National forest, has experienced an abnormally dry August, but sudden heavy rainfall brought in 2.6 inches of rain within 36 hours, triggering the landslide.
Scientists say that climate change could also increase the risk of landslides in the region as storms intensify and soil destabilizes. Ketchikan is particularly vulnerable because of the steep terrain; the city is built at the base of slopes, according to Arron Jacobs, a meteorologist and senior hydrologist with the National Weather Service’s Juneau office.
“It’s just becoming more and more common that they’re impacting people,” he told the Associated Press.
