Alaska’s coastal villages devastated by flooding from Typhoon Halong remnants

The remnants of Typhoon Halong brought destructive winds and catastrophic flooding to western Alaska over the weekend, damaging homes and displacing hundreds across remote coastal communities. The storm reached the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta early Sunday, producing wind speeds of up to 80 miles per hour and water levels rising as much as seven feet above normal.

The hardest-hit areas included the villages of Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, and Napakiak, where multiple homes were swept from their foundations. In Kipnuk, at least eight houses were destroyed, while four were lost in Kwigillingok. Rescue teams recovered and evacuated dozens of residents, with three people still unaccounted for as of Sunday evening. Approximately 600 people sought refuge in a local school in Kipnuk and another 300 in Kwigillingok.

The Alaska State Troopers coordinated a large-scale search and rescue operation involving the Alaska Air and Army National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard. Aircraft, including C-130s and Blackhawk helicopters, were deployed to reach stranded residents in isolated villages.

Roads, boardwalks, and power lines were damaged across the region, including in Bethel, where airport runways were littered with debris. Governor Mike Dunleavy expanded the state’s disaster declaration to include affected areas and assured residents that “help is on the way.”

The storm’s unusual eastward track intensified its effects on Alaska’s western coast. Emergency management officials continue to assess damage as forecasts warn of another approaching system that may bring renewed flooding to the region.

More footage on the destructive storm can be seen in the following video. Information related to the Nor’easter threatening U.S. east coast with major flooding and coastal erosion can be found here.