JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — One of the most significant airlifts in Alaskan history is underway by helicopter and military transport plane, moving hundreds of people from coastal villages ravaged by high surf and strong winds from the remnants of Typhoon Halong last weekend. The storm brought record high water levels to two low-lying Alaska Native communities and washed away homes, some with people inside. At least one person has died and two are reported missing. Makeshift shelters have been rapidly established, accommodating about 1,500 individuals, a sizable number in this isolated region where access is primarily through air or water during winter.
State emergency management officials have reported extensive destruction in Kipnuk, where 121 homes were lost in a village of roughly 700 inhabitants, and in nearby Kwigillingok. Authorities are conducting damage assessments while transitioning from initial search-and-rescue efforts to stabilizing or restoring essential services. Over 1,000 residents have been urged to evacuate as shelter facilities reached capacity in the regional hub of Bethel.
By midweek, around 300 evacuees had been transported to Anchorage, around 500 miles from the hardest-hit villages, with many seeking refuge in the Alaska Airlines Center. Following reports of cell service restoration and gradual resumption of electricity and plumbing in some areas, officials continue to prioritize resident safety as winter approaches, along with the prospect of potential rain and snow this weekend.
As assessments reveal severe damages to homes in Kwigillingok and Kipnuk, emergency management officials have cautioned against returning to residences due to safety risks. The crisis underscores the challenges posed by climate change, further amplified by previous budget cuts to critical disaster preparedness grants under the Trump administration. Residents and advocates are calling for renewed efforts to support vulnerable communities facing the realities of extreme weather conditions.
State emergency management officials have reported extensive destruction in Kipnuk, where 121 homes were lost in a village of roughly 700 inhabitants, and in nearby Kwigillingok. Authorities are conducting damage assessments while transitioning from initial search-and-rescue efforts to stabilizing or restoring essential services. Over 1,000 residents have been urged to evacuate as shelter facilities reached capacity in the regional hub of Bethel.
By midweek, around 300 evacuees had been transported to Anchorage, around 500 miles from the hardest-hit villages, with many seeking refuge in the Alaska Airlines Center. Following reports of cell service restoration and gradual resumption of electricity and plumbing in some areas, officials continue to prioritize resident safety as winter approaches, along with the prospect of potential rain and snow this weekend.
As assessments reveal severe damages to homes in Kwigillingok and Kipnuk, emergency management officials have cautioned against returning to residences due to safety risks. The crisis underscores the challenges posed by climate change, further amplified by previous budget cuts to critical disaster preparedness grants under the Trump administration. Residents and advocates are calling for renewed efforts to support vulnerable communities facing the realities of extreme weather conditions.
