Current:Home > Invest4th victim in Alaska landslide is 11-year-old girl; 2 people still missing, officials say -Wealth Axis Pro
4th victim in Alaska landslide is 11-year-old girl; 2 people still missing, officials say
View
Date:2025-04-16 01:33:40
Authorities recovered the body of 11-year-old Kara Heller Saturday night from debris left behind by a massive landslide in southeast Alaska that killed three other people and left two others missing, according to the Associated Press.
Heller is the fourth person confirmed killed by last Monday's landslide. The others were the girl's parents, Timothy Heller, 44, and Beth Heller, 36, and her sister Mara Heller, 16.
Rescue crews found Mara's body in the initial search, and the bodies of Timothy and Beth were found late Tuesday by a drone operator.
Search crews are looking for a third child still missing from the Heller family, Derek, 12, and neighbor Otto Florschutz, 65, the Alaska Department of Public Safety told the Associated Press.
Alaska State Troopers said in a statement last Tuesday that three homes were in the direct path of the disaster around 8:50 p.m. local time Monday near Wrangell, a fishing community with just over 2,000 residents about 155 miles southeast of Juneau.
Alaska landslide:Landslide leaves 3 dead and trail of damage in remote community of Wrangell, Alaska
Alaska landslide: search and rescue efforts
First responders were on the scenes searching for survivors, the troopers said. Authorities urged residents to contact local police if they know someone who is missing.
The landslide cut off access and power to about 75 homes, the state emergency management office said, and boats have been taking residents from the cut-off area to an unaffected part of town.
Photos posted on social media showed barren earth near the top of the mountain all the way down to the Pacific Ocean and remnants of destroyed homes.
Aaron Jacobs, a hydrologist and meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Juneau, told the Associated Press Wrangell received nearly 2 inches of rain from 1 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and wind gusts of up to 60 mph in higher elevations.
The storm was part of a system that moved through southeast Alaska and brought heavy snow to Haines and blizzard-like conditions to Juneau, Jacobs said. Areas farther south had minor flooding.
Landslides were reported near Ketchikan and on Prince of Wales Island. KTUU, a local TV station in Alaska, reported several landslides happening across the state that damaged homes, caused power outages and closed major highways.
Search suspended:5-year-old girl dies, search suspended for man swept out by California wave: Coast Guard
veryGood! (5)
Related
- All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
- 3 police officers killed, 10 others wounded in unprecedented explosives attack in Mexico
- Billy McFarland Announces Fyre Festival II Is Officially Happening
- Encore: Tempe creates emergency response center to be a climate disaster refuge
- Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast
- Love Island Host Maya Jama Addresses Leonardo DiCaprio Dating Rumors
- John Mayer Reveals His New Thoughts on His Song Paper Doll Rumored to Be About Taylor Swift
- Ukraine can join NATO when allies agree and conditions are met, leaders say
- DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
- Ditch Your Self-Tanner and Save 64% On Sweat-Proof Tarte Bronzer That Lasts All Day
Ranking
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- Bonus Episode: Consider the Lobstermen
- Bonus Episode: Consider the Lobstermen
- Ditch Your Self-Tanner and Save 64% On Sweat-Proof Tarte Bronzer That Lasts All Day
- Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
- Jason Wahler Shares Rare Glimpse Into His Friendship With Kristin Cavallari After Laguna Beach
- A New Big Bang Theory Spinoff Is on the Way: All the Details
- Israel hit by huge protests as Netanyahu's judiciary overhaul moves forward
Recommendation
Pregnant Kylie Kelce Shares Hilarious Question Her Daughter Asked Jason Kelce Amid Rising Fame
A New Big Bang Theory Spinoff Is on the Way: All the Details
The first step to preparing for surging climate migration? Defining it
Kourtney Kardashian Receives Late Dad Robert Kardashian’s Wedding Ring in Emotional BTS Moment
Opinion: Gianni Infantino, FIFA sell souls and 2034 World Cup for Saudi Arabia's billions
India's Chandrayaan-3 moon mission takes off with a successful launch as rocket hoists lunar lander and rover
Farmers in Senegal learn to respect a scruffy shrub that gets no respect
How dairy farmers are cashing in on California's push for cleaner fuel