Rescue efforts are intensifying in Alaska after Typhoon Halong left widespread devastation across the state’s western coast, washing away boats, damaging homes, and forcing families to flee rising flood waters.
According to Alaska State Troopers, more than 30 people were rescued over the weekend from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, one of the hardest-hit areas. At least 18 were rescued in Kwigillingok and another 16 in Kipnuk. Troopers confirmed at least three people remain missing in Kwigillingok, while others are unaccounted for in Kipnuk.
The remnants of Typhoon Halong moved into the Bering Sea on Sunday, bringing hurricane-force wind gusts up to 100 mph and storm surges between four and six feet above normal tides. Videos from Bethel showed floodwaters sweeping away boats and inundating entire neighborhoods, while footage from Emmonak captured strong winds flipping a boat on its side.
State and federal responders — including the Alaska Air and Army National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard — are working together to locate the missing and provide aid to displaced families. A Coastal Flood Warning remains in effect through Monday afternoon for much of coastal Alaska.
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has begun damage surveys, noting that airports, roads, and utilities have sustained significant losses. Officials warn the crisis could worsen if additional rainfall pushes rivers and coastal barriers beyond capacity.
The Coastal Villages Region Fund, a local nonprofit, said the destruction caused by Typhoon Halong may exceed that of Typhoon Merbok in 2022, which devastated many of the same isolated communities.
