Notes from the Landslide

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6 Four Missing In Sitka as Heavy Rain Triggers Landslide Published by the Sitka Sentinel on Wednesday, 19 August 2015 By Shannon Haugland and Tom Hesse Sentinel Staff Writers EDITOR’S NOTE: After press time Tuesday the number of missing in the Kramer Avenue landslide was reduced from four to three. The names of the other two people missing in the slide were reported as Elmer Diaz, 26, and Ulises Diaz, 25. Four people were reported missing today after heavy rains caused a landslide on Kramer Avenue that buried a house that was under construction. City Building Official William Stortz, 62, and three people who were working on the house when the landslide struck at around 9:40 a.m. remained missing at press time today. The names of the others were not released. The Kramer Avenue slide was one of several around Sitka following an overnight downpour recorded 2.59 inches between midnight and 10 a.m. today. A second major slide closed Sawmill Creek Road at the old APC mill site. City officials estimated 100 workers and volunteers responded to the emergency, which included landslides, flooding, road closures
and evacuations of buildings and neighborhoods. 7 “I would say this is definitely bigger than anything we’ve ever had in Sitka,” Fire Chief Dave Miller said. The city has asked Gov. Walker to declare a state of emergency in Sitka. The risk to rescue workers from the unstable debris at the Kramer Avenue slide prevented immediate search efforts for the missing men. At 2 p.m. today rescuers were still standing by, unable to dig in the pile of earth and downed trees estimated at 20 to 25 feet deep. The Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter to survey the slide area. “A couple of us walked the slide impact area where these people were last seen, shouting for names of the people that were missing, but due to the instability of the area we had to leave,” said City Administrator Mark Gorman, who had gone to the area after the first 911 call came in. Miller said rescue crews are concerned that there could be additional slides above the area of the first one, which could put emergency responders in harm’s way. “Because it’s a slide area and it’s muddy as all get-out it’s still an active slide area so we’re not digging and searching at this time. It’s too dangerous,” Miller said. The National Weather Service in Juneau said the threat of mud-
Page 1 and 2: Notes From The Landslide
Page 3 and 4: Dedicated to the families of Elmer
Page 5: 5 of what showed up on Sitka Chatte
Page 9 and 10: 9 Chris Harshey, a carpenter who wa
Page 11 and 12: 11 Until it was cleared away, the s
Page 13 and 14: 13 Samantha Cox August 18 at 4:42pm
Page 15 and 16: 15 “*** Granite Creek Road. I hav
Page 17 and 18: 17 “I don’t have room for peopl
Page 19 and 20: 19 Shanthee Acker August 18 at 7:09
Page 21 and 22: 21 Keith Perkins August 18 at 11:37
Page 23 and 24: 23 is always hope. And tonight, whe
Page 25 and 26: 25 Lily Herwald August 19 at 1:53pm
Page 27 and 28: 27 Melissa McCrehin August 19 at 6:
Page 29 and 30: 29 Vienna L Vaden August 19 at 10:1
Page 31 and 32: slimmest of hopes..........and yet
Page 33 and 34: 33 Stortz was working in his capaci
Page 35 and 36: 35 Miller said water coming down th
Page 37 and 38: Fate said the public can help the d
Page 39 and 40: of Uli and Elmer, ready to work in
Page 41 and 42: 41 Turnie Wright August 20 at 7:43a
Page 43 and 44: 43 Nuliatchaiq Dawn August 20 at 12
Page 45 and 46: 45 Jennifer Jarvis Barnette August
Page 47 and 48: 47 Naomi Bargmann August 21 at 12:4
Page 49 and 50: 49 Koali Pontual Thorne August 21 a
Page 51 and 52: 51 Shanna Vetter Tadic August 20 at
Page 53 and 54: 53 Kimberly Smith August 20 at 8:50
Page 55 and 56: 55 Fred Moe August 20 at 10:12am We
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*Grace Harbor (747-5706) and the Fi
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59 then swallowed some houses, some
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61 Holly Renner August 21 at 3:22pm
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63 a mountainside above a new subdi
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65 coming weather was cause for con
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67 primary goal was to open it up s
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69 Debi Terry August 22 at 9:25am I
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71 Evadne Allott-Wright August 22 a
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73 donations are being accepted by
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75 “The outpouring has been incre
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77 Maite LRial August 22 at 10:58am
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79 Hailey Barger August 23 at 12:49
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81 Carla Whiteside at Sugar Chic Au
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83 Nancy Davis August 24 at 9:25pm
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85 Karen Howard August 24 at 10:26p
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87 Tamie Parker Song August 24 at 6
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89 excavators started work early th
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91 “Every day that you’ve got o
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93 Sarah Pies Mahoskey August 24 at
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95 Christine Golliver Silvanio Augu
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him that it was a reflection of who
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99 Jenny St John August 24 at 3:42p
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101 Cynthia Morrigan August 25 at 3
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103 many Sitkans have been stepping
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105 church, reminding me of the sup
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107 Landslide First Item At Assembl
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Kaagwaantaan clan in Klukwan.) 109
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struck. The body of Elmer Diaz was
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113 The slide cut off water and pow
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115 Clara Smith August 27 at 1:47am
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117 Counseling Is Offered In Wake O
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it’s a good idea to keep an eye o
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121 “Knowing you need help and yo
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123 months before his high school g
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125 and laid down in the muskeg, ki
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127 Elmer Diaz, Ulises Diaz: Brothe
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129 Family was central in both thei
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131 Gov Says Sitka Slide Official S
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133 were a direct result of a decla
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135 Afterword By Samantha Cox The d
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come in and arrange for lodging. Bu
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139
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Notes from the Landslide

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