Prolonged heavy rain is the number one indicator that you may see a landslide. It is no secret that Southeast Alaska is prone to landslides. Here are some key factors to look for:
Ground saturation. Look for puddles of water in areas that usually drain. Standing water in the woods around your home.
Ground movement and cracks. You are looking for evidence that the ground is shifting - surface cracks, bulging ground, or subsidence.
Trees. Are the trees newly tilting? This can indicate ground instability. Do the trunks of the trees on a slope grow outward and hook upward as if they are adjusting to gradually shifting ground? This indicates regular ground movement that could destabilize in the right rain and wind conditions.
New water. An increase of water seepage or the sudden appearance of water where it wasn't before can indicate the slope is becoming saturated and potentially destabilized.
Waterfalls getting muddy. Before the 2024 fatal landslide in Ketchikan dash cam footage caught the roadside waterfalls changing from the everyday clear run off to a muddy brown a few minutes before the slide happened.
Change in stream flow. If a stream suddenly changes in volume, color, or is blocked, it could be due to upstream slope movement.
Listen. Unusual sounds such as cracking, popping or rumbling are indicators a slope is giving way.
Smell. Some people report that they can smell a landslide before it happens - an unusual earth smell from the forest.