This is a developing story.
A small landslide impacted one home and led to the evacuation of several others near the Star Hill neighborhood Saturday night, according to Capital City Fire/Rescue.
Emergency responders arrived at the area and contacted homeowners nearby at about 7:30 p.m. According to CCFR Assistant Chief Ed Quinto, no injuries were reported.
An initial report from CCFR stated no structures were damaged, but an update posted later during the night stated “one house was impacted by trees and debris from a slide above 429 Nelson Street.”
“No other houses were impacted and no injuries were reported, but several structures in the immediate area have been evacuated as a precaution until the rain lets up,” the updates notes. “The Red Cross is assisting with temporary housing and CCFR has left the scene.”
Debris from a small landslide impacted a house on the hillside above Nelson Street on Saturday night, according to Capital City Fire/Rescue. Other homes in the immediate area were evacuated. (Capital City Fire/Rescue)
According to Tom Mattice, the emergency programs manager for the City and Borough of Juneau, houses in the immediate vicinity of the landside were evacuated shortly after the initial CCFR response.
“All hillsides are considered hazard areas,” he said. “And when there is a lot of rain things will move — every minute the situation changes and we need to continue to pay attention.”
The city asked nearby residents to steer clear of the area Saturday evening.
“The public are asked to stay away from the landslide area to ensure everyone’s safety and allow first responders to work smoothly,” a news release stated. “If you live in a high-slope area with increased landslide risk, please be aware that landslide risk is elevated due to the ongoing rain event and you may consider making alternative housing plans and/or preparing a go-bag in case of a need to evacuate.”
The landslide follows a forecast of a weekend storm through the Panhandle with gale-force winds and significant rain expected to increase the risk of hazards along the Mendenhall River after record flooding last weekend.
At about 1 p.m. National Weather Service Juneau reported that one to 1.5 inches of rain had fallen, with an additional one to 1.5 inches expected before the heaviest precipitation shifts away from the area in the evening. At about 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon, NWS Juneau issued a flood advisory until midnight in the area of Montana Creek around the low water crossing on Montana Creek Road.
“For those along the Mendenhall River, the rainy and windy conditions could increase the risk of trees falling into and around from the already unstable river banks,” a special weather statement by the weather service stated.
• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651) 528-1807.
