The remnants of Typhoon Halong brought record-breaking flooding and hurricane-force winds to western Alaska over the weekend, leaving one woman dead, two others missing, and more than 50 residents rescued from submerged homes in remote villages.
Officials said the powerful storm struck the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta, devastating the coastal communities of Kwigillingok and Kipnuk, where storm surges exceeded 14 feet and winds surpassed 100 mph. Homes were torn from foundations, boats flipped, and airports flooded, forcing hundreds of people to seek refuge in local schools and shelters.
Alaska State Troopers confirmed one fatality in Kwigillingok and said air and boat crews are searching for the missing. Over 1,400 people remain displaced across 12 shelters. The Alaska National Guard, Coast Guard, and Homeland Security teams have been deployed for rescue and relief operations.
Governor Mike Dunleavy expanded a state disaster declaration, while Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan vowed to secure federal aid and climate-resilience funding for long-term recovery. Experts warn that the frequency and intensity of such storms are increasing as climate change accelerates Arctic erosion and permafrost melt, threatening entire communities in Alaska’s western coast.
As floodwaters begin to recede, officials caution that power outages, food losses, and winter hardships could make recovery even more difficult for affected residents.
