Imagine your home being ripped from its foundation by sheer force, swallowed by a wall of water. That's the terrifying reality faced by residents of western Alaska after a monster storm, packing hurricane-force winds, slammed into their coastal communities. Dozens have been rescued, but the agonizing search continues for those still missing.
Rescuers are racing against time to locate missing individuals and provide aid to those displaced after the remnants of what was once Typhoon Halong unleashed its fury on remote Alaskan villages. The storm didn't just bring wind; it unleashed a record-shattering storm surge, a surge so powerful it literally shoved homes off their foundations. We're talking about a level of destruction that leaves communities reeling.
The Alaska Department of Public Safety reported that three people are unaccounted for in Kwigillingok, and a massive rescue operation successfully saved at least 18 lives in the same village. You can find more details about the incident on the Alaska Department of Public Safety website. (https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdailydispatch.dps.alaska.gov%2FHome%2FDisplayIncident%3FincidentNumber%3DAK25103717&data=05%7C02%7Cmary.gilbert%40cnn.com%7C771f39929e0c4e63f79a08de0a0f2cb8%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638959257663980252%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=pX4JR%2FPSuzDUO4QpAwHDvnLYda7zlFxDoWWwEgE%2FFhc%3D&reserved=0)
In Kipnuk, another 16 individuals were rescued, and authorities are diligently working to verify reports of additional people missing from the area. These impacted villages are incredibly remote, situated more than 400 miles southwest of Anchorage, making rescue efforts even more challenging.
Alaska State Troopers described the devastation, stating that both communities endured ferocious winds and extreme flooding throughout the night, resulting in "significant damage, including at least eight homes being pushed from their foundations." Their statement can be found on X (formerly Twitter): (https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fakstatetrooper%2Fstatus%2F1977499220950102043&data=05%7C02%7Cmary.gilbert%40cnn.com%7C771f39929e0c4e63f79a08de0a0f2cb8%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638959257669862938%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=VB0Fu9w39F%2FTuQ5xtFvMeSc6PKi4kDwxwl2NM8hSlVY%3D&reserved=0)
Under favorable conditions, search operations are expected to continue around the clock, bolstered by the combined efforts of the Alaska Air National Guard, Alaska Army National Guard, and the U.S. Coast Guard. This multi-agency collaboration is crucial in maximizing the reach and effectiveness of the rescue efforts.
The storm unleashed wind gusts reaching 100 mph or higher across western Alaska on Sunday. To put that into perspective, those winds are comparable to what you'd experience in a Category 1 or even a Category 2 hurricane! Kusilvak reported gusts of 107 mph, while Toksook Bay, a nearby community, clocked in at 100 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
These intense winds weren't the only problem; they also fueled a catastrophic storm surge, forcing massive amounts of water onto land and triggering widespread flooding in vulnerable coastal areas. In Kipnuk, water levels surged to a staggering 14.5 feet on Sunday. That's not just a little flooding; it's more than two feet above the major flood stage and a foot and a half higher than the previous record flood level set back in 2000.
And this is the part most people miss: This destructive storm has an origin story that spans the Pacific. It began as Typhoon Halong, a powerful tropical cyclone that developed in the northern Philippine Sea earlier this month. The storm skirted Japan without making landfall (as seen in this satellite imagery: https://x.com/CIRA_CSU/status/1976343691729191333) and then traversed the entire north Pacific Ocean. By the time it reached the Bering Sea this weekend, it was no longer classified as a tropical storm, but here's where it gets controversial... does that really diminish the impact of the storm? Does the technical classification matter when communities are shattered?
The storm system moved through northern Alaska late Sunday night and continued its journey into the Arctic Sea early Monday morning, leaving devastated communities behind to begin the long and arduous process of recovery.
"Every effort will be made to help those hit by this storm. Help is on the way,” Governor Mike Dunleavy assured residents in a statement, announcing the expansion of a state disaster declaration to include the areas affected by the weekend storm. The governor's statement can be found here: (https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2FGovDunleavy%2Fstatus%2F1977485699927715958&data=05%7C02%7Cmary.gilbert%40cnn.com%7C771f39929e0c4e63f79a08de0a0f2cb8%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638959257669880928%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Kf%2FCtqxGt2YuISiTYmh8Q89e9qZ3uFcAdNb4%2Bxtxha0%3D&reserved=0) The initial disaster declaration, issued just days prior, addressed damage caused by another severe coastal storm that brought widespread flooding earlier in the week, highlighting the repeated battering these communities have endured.
Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan stated that he has been in frequent communication with key officials, including Acting FEMA Director David Richardson, local, tribal, and state representatives, the Governor, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Senator Sullivan's statement is available here: (https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2FSenDanSullivan%2Fstatus%2F1977516053895827553&data=05%7C02%7Cmary.gilbert%40cnn.com%7C771f39929e0c4e63f79a08de0a0f2cb8%7C0eb48825e8714459bc72d0ecd68f1f39%7C0%7C0%7C638959257669899086%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZsjphH150bAIGISd1Yx%2BO41MTdrXxQuMV3lId6zdgHI%3D&reserved=0)
According to Senator Sullivan, FEMA is actively engaged with state and local authorities and has deployed an incident management team to Alaska. Furthermore, a FEMA search-and-rescue group is pre-positioned in Washington, ready to deploy if needed. Here's a crucial point: FEMA has assured that the ongoing government shutdown is not hindering the agency's response to this emergency.
CNN has reached out to the Alaska National Guard, US Coast Guard, Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, and the Alaska State Emergency Operations Center for further updates and information. What are your thoughts on the role of climate change in the increasing frequency and intensity of these storms? Share your perspective in the comments below. Are these remote communities receiving adequate support? Let's discuss.
