Alaskan Villages Face 'Absolute Devastation'

The western coast of Alaska is grappling with the aftermath of Typhoon Halong, which made landfall over the weekend, bringing hurricane-force winds and catastrophic storm surges. Coastal communities, particularly Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, and Napakiak in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, have reported extensive damage, with homes ripped from their foundations and inundated by floodwaters.

Footage captured by Brea Paul in Kipnuk on Saturday, October 12, 2025, showed at least one house drifting out to sea. Paul recounted seeing approximately 20 other homes floating away overnight, with some residents signaling for help from their submerged dwellings.

Authorities have confirmed one fatality in Kwigillingok, where an adult woman's remains were discovered. Two individuals are still unaccounted for in the same community. Rescue efforts have been extensive, with over 50 people and two dogs saved from the affected areas, some reportedly plucked from rooftops.

Rescue Operations and Displacement

The U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska Air National Guard, and Alaska Army National Guard have been deployed for search and rescue operations and to support disaster response. State emergency management spokesperson Jeremy Zidek noted the challenge of determining how many people were in their villages when the storm hit.

More than 1,000 residents have been displaced by the storm and are currently sheltering in emergency facilities. In Kipnuk, nearly 600 people sought refuge in a local school, while around 300 were sheltered in a school in Kwigillingok. The village of Kipnuk's runway has been damaged and is closed to fixed-wing aircraft, and communication lines are down, with satellite internet being deployed to restore connectivity.

Historical Context and Climate Change Concerns

Typhoon Halong initially formed southeast of Japan around Thursday, October 3, 2025, intensifying into a Category 4 typhoon by Monday, October 7, with sustained winds of 130–156 mph. It then tracked northeast across the Pacific, transitioning into an extratropical system before impacting Alaska.

The severe impacts of ex-Typhoon Halong on Alaska's west coast align with scientific understanding of a warming climate. Experts suggest that increased atmospheric moisture, intensified heavy precipitation, and shifting storm tracks are amplifying coastal flooding and erosion. A 2022 report for local Indigenous residents by the Alaska Institute for Justice highlighted an increase in the frequency and severity of flooding in the low-lying region, identifying community relocation as an urgent need.

Evidence/Data Box

• Confirmed Fatality: 1 (in Kwigillingok)
• Missing Persons: 2 (in Kwigillingok)
• Rescued Individuals: Over 50 people and 2 dogs
• Displaced Residents: Over 1,000
• Peak Wind Gusts: Up to 100 mph (160 km/h) in Tooksook Bay
• Affected Communities: Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, Napakiak, and others in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
• Date of Impact: Sunday, October 12, 2025 (EAT)

Unanswered Questions and Next Steps

The full extent of the damage and the long-term recovery efforts remain uncertain. With winter approaching, concerns are rising about the habitability of damaged homes and the availability of essential resources like food and heating in remote communities. Officials are racing against time to evacuate and rehouse affected populations, with remote locations and severe damage limiting options.

What to Watch

Continued monitoring of weather patterns for further storms and the progress of long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts in the affected Alaskan communities will be crucial. The discussions around climate change and its impact on extreme weather events in vulnerable regions are also expected to intensify.