Severe Flooding in Western Alaska from Typhoon Halong
Over the weekend, Alaska experienced unprecedented flooding due to the remnants of Typhoon Halong. The storm wreaked havoc across villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region, damaging roads and airports, and resulted in at least one fatality.
According to Alaska State Troopers, a woman’s body was discovered in Kwigilingok, a small coastal village.
Rescue operations have been ongoing, with officials reporting the safe retrieval of fifty-one individuals and two dogs from Kwigilingok and nearby Kipunuku, whose identities have now been confirmed.
This powerful coastal storm made its way into the Bering Sea on Sunday, bringing with it hurricane-force winds, towering waves, and extensive coastal flooding to communities south of the Kuskokwim Delta and the Bering Strait. Compounding the issue, another low-pressure system that had been present since last week caused unusually high tides and heavy rain.
The flooding’s severity prompted the evacuation of over 1,400 residents, leading to search-and-rescue efforts organized by both state and federal agencies.
Footage from Bethel captured the extent of the damage, with flooding destroying boats and infrastructure during the weekend.
The Alaska Department of Emergency Management circulated images showing numerous homes encompassed by rising waters.
The National Weather Service reported wind gusts reaching up to 160 mph, contributing to the extreme conditions. Another video from Emmonak displayed a boat being flipped by high winds and rough waves.
On Monday, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center noted a significant influx of calls regarding non-emergency evacuations, with around 1,400 people currently residing in twelve shelters, as stated by the Department of Homeland Security.
First responders and the Alaska National Guard have been dispatched to assist in relief efforts. Over thirty individuals were rescued in the Kuskokwim Delta, with Alaska State Police confirming at least eighteen rescues in Kwigiringok and sixteen in Kipunuku.
The storm damaged more than fifty community airports and roadways, as reported by the Alaska Department of Transportation. Many villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta lack a continuous road network, thereby relying primarily on local airports for connectivity.
A coastal flood warning remained in place for much of Alaska’s coastline until Monday afternoon. During a press briefing, the National Weather Service revealed that water levels at Kipnuku were recorded at 6.6 feet above normal high tide, surpassing the previous record from 2000 by nearly two feet.
Last week, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities conducted a preliminary survey of coastal storm damage just before the new threats from Typhoon Furlong emerged over the weekend.
According to the Coastal Villages Regional Foundation, an Alaskan nonprofit, the destruction caused by Halong may surpass that of Typhoon Maabok in 2022.
