The power was restored to residents of Wrangell Island’s southside on Tuesday, however maintenance crews are still working to remove the debris of the landslide which caused the deaths of the lives of four persons on November. 20. Two people remain missing.
The Department of Public Safety said in a press release the search within the zone that slides is currently in state of alert, however the Alaska State Troopers might restart an active search should they receive the latest information. Dogs that detect scent will be at the site to assist with that.
Residents are able to drive around the slide zone in scheduled 30-minute intervals as efforts to clear obstructions and stabilise the slope go on. At the same time surveying from the air is being conducted to check the stability and security of the slide zone.
Residents have expressed their concern regarding the reliability that is the Wrangell Dam, but the Department of Natural Resources said that the dam doesn’t exhibit signs of failing.
Mason Villarma, Wrangell’s Interim Borough Manager, is currently in Washington D.C. where he is meeting to representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Alaska’s Congressional delegation. He stated the Wrangell has landed in a great location and that the response to landslides is moving faster than expected but solutions are likely to require some time.
“I do not think that the recovery will be a, you know, one week or two months thing. I believe it will be it’s going to take five years,” he said.
Villarma is likely to be back in Wrangell on Friday.
LaNita Copeland works as an emergency management specialist at the State Emergency Operations Center helping people in the community to apply for assistance from the state. She says that during emergencies such as the landslide the state will provide funds or replacement for damaged personal property and homes including automobiles and appliances.
“Appliances are typically covered, for example, refrigerators or freezers, as the need for food is a major issue,” she said. “Not every thing you lose in a catastrophe can be repaired. We try to make what we can, you know, an amount that helps people get to their feet.”
She says they strive to assist everyone they can, however there are limitations based on the extent to which a person was a part of the accident. She suggests that people who own an apartment or personal property which was damaged directly by the landslide are most likely to have the best likelihood of receiving help.
“The only instances where we’d say could be considered to be those that could qualify are those that are well-cut,” Copeland said. “Like the family who was located very near to the slides and trees were able to take out a portion from their land.”
People can apply for assistance at 1-844-445-7131 or online at ready.alaska.gov/recovery/IA.
