Landslide Strikes Alaskan Town of Wrangell

One person was found dead and five others remain missing after a landslide struck the remote Alaskan town of Wrangell on Monday night, authorities said.

Three single-family homes were in the path of the landslide when it occurred at about 9 p.m. Monday, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation.

Responding search personnel found one girl dead, Alaska State Troopers said at a news conference, and five people who were believed to be in the path of the landslide are still missing.

The slide remained active as of Tuesday afternoon, according to state troopers, and additional landslides are still possible. All residents in the area were asked to evacuate.

Phone service appeared to be down for the remote community, but officials posted on Facebook that a local food bank was accepting donations and offered a community gathering place at a local bakery.

"Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with those suffering due to last night's events," officials wrote on Wrangell's Facebook page.

Search and Rescue Efforts Underway in Wrangell, Alaska

Search and rescue operations are currently being led by state troopers in Wrangell, Alaska. Multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Forest Service, are providing assistance in the efforts.

Wrangell, a coastal village located in southeast Alaska, has a population of just over 2,000 according to the latest census data.

State troopers have urged individuals who are on the other side of the slide, away from Wrangell, to evacuate by water taxi. A shelter has been set up to accommodate those affected.

According to Aaron Jacobs, a hydrologist and meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Juneau, Wrangell received approximately 2 inches of rain between 1 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Monday. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph were recorded at higher elevations.

Another storm system is expected to hit the Wrangell area late Wednesday into Thursday.