Elmer (l.) and Ulises Diaz were painting in the house destroyed by a landslide in Sitka Tuesday. The volunteer crew that recovered their bodies included teammates and former coaches from Sitka High School. (GoFundMe photo)
Officials have released the names of the two landslide victims recovered on Wednesday and Thursday. They have been identified as brothers Elmer and Ulises Diaz, ages 26 and 25, who were working on one of the houses on Kramer Avenue at the time of the slide.
Teams are continuing to search today for William Stortz, 62, Sitka’s building official and the third man missing since Tuesday’s landslide.
Officials are hoping to finish recovery efforts today, before more rain arrives tonight. Weather forecasts are calling for significant rainfall and wind through the weekend. In a press release this morning, the city said it expects the weather will force the halt of all operations over the weekend, for the safety of the crews.
A memorial fund established for the Diaz family has raised over $12,000 by this morning (8-21-15).
