A devastating storm has left a trail of destruction in Southwest Alaska, with officials comparing the aftermath to that of Hurricane Katrina. The impact on these remote communities is nothing short of catastrophic.
Captain Christopher Culpepper of the U.S. Coast Guard described the situation, stating, "Several villages have been completely inundated, with water levels reaching several feet deep. Homes have been torn from their foundations, and people were forced into perilous situations, swimming and floating in the dark."
The remnants of Typhoon Halong struck the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta on Sunday, bringing hurricane-force winds and unprecedented flooding. Coast Guard and National Guard crews have been working tirelessly, rescuing at least 51 individuals from the severely affected areas of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. Unfortunately, a woman reported missing from Kwigillingok was later found deceased, and two others remain unaccounted for.
"It has been incredibly scary for the residents," said Mark Roberts, head of the State Emergency Operations Center. He further emphasized that the storm's damage is still being assessed, but it is known to have destroyed numerous homes, some of which floated away with families inside.
The storm's impact extended beyond the immediate flooding. It cracked the runway in Kipnuk, preventing plane landings, and snapped numerous utility poles, leading to ongoing power outages. Senator Lyman Hoffman of Bethel highlighted these issues, adding that the storm's wrath also affected essential services.
A massive search and rescue operation is ongoing, with locating missing persons as the state's top priority. Major General Torrence Saxe, head of the Alaska National Guard, has activated all available personnel in Western Alaska, totaling around 60 to 80 individuals. Additional support is being mobilized from Fairbanks and Anchorage.
"This response may be the largest off-the-road-system operation for the National Guard in nearly half a century," Saxe remarked.
The state is not alone in its recovery efforts. Dozens of nonprofit organizations, businesses, and faith-based groups, such as the Salvation Army, Red Cross, Samaritan's Purse, and World Central Kitchen, are coordinating with the state to provide aid. Governor Mike Dunleavy has declared a disaster for the region, facilitating access to further resources.
"We understand the urgency of your needs, and we are committed to providing assistance," Dunleavy stated. "Our focus is on getting essential services up and running as swiftly as possible."
The storm surge broke records in the hardest-hit communities, according to meteorologist David Kramer of the National Weather Service. At Kipnuk, water levels reached 6.6 feet above the normal highest tide mark, surpassing the previous record of 4.7 feet set in 2000.
Despite its intensity, this storm was more localized compared to Merbok, the devastating event that struck Western Alaska in 2022. General Saxe noted, "Merbok affected a larger stretch of the coast, whereas this storm hit specific areas extremely hard. We aim to provide assistance to these areas swiftly."
In addition to search and rescue, the Coast Guard is assessing potential marine disasters. While only a light sheen of pollution has been reported so far, the storm-affected area includes numerous bulk fuel tanks and storage facilities, which are critical for the communities' heating, subsistence, and transportation.
"These facilities are vital for the communities' survival," Culpepper emphasized. Coast Guard teams will evaluate the situation and determine the areas of greatest concern.
Governor Dunleavy acknowledged the need to prioritize people's immediate needs over environmental concerns, stating, "Taking care of people and their basic necessities is our foremost responsibility. Water, food, sanitation, and electricity are our immediate focus."
The discussion around climate change and its potential impact on the storm's intensity is ongoing. Senator Hoffman, representing the region, noted the changing climate's effects, which have forced the village of Newtok to relocate.
"There has been a noticeable increase in warming over the last 25 years, disrupting lives in the Y-K Delta," Hoffman said.
As the recovery efforts continue, the focus remains on providing aid and support to the affected communities. The storm's aftermath serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by remote coastal areas in the face of extreme weather events.
