- Details
- By Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
As morning light hit flooded communities devastated by the remnants of Typhoon Halong on Sunday, local residents snapped photos of the storm damage across western Alaska communities.
This article was originally published in the Alaska Beacon.
High storm surge and hurricane force winds, in some areas up to 107 mph, slammed the western coastal region – particularly Kuskokwim Delta communities – and villages along the Bering Sea, only accessible by road and small plane.
“Several houses floated miles inland – some with people still inside. There are a few houses still intact on higher ground on one side of the village. Everyone else has lost their homes or are facing extensive damage,” Jacqui Lang of Kipnuk wrote on Facebook.
Residents posted photos and updates on Facebook, sharing prayers and connecting with family and friends. Some had minimal battery power, as utilities were knocked out by the storm.
Some filmed U.S. Coast Guard helicopters rescuing residents from homes floating away in nearby waters – 51 residents were rescued from the hardest-hit communities of Kwigillingok and Kipnuk on Sunday and Monday.
“WE MADE IT OUT OF KIPNUK! Everyone’s good and at the school. The Coast Guard just picked us up and just landed into Bethel,” wrote Kristy Fox of Kipnuk, along with videos of helicopter rescues. “Kipnuk isn’t Kipnuk anymore. I pray they evacuate safely.”
The storm killed one woman in Kwigillingok, left two missing and displaced over 1,000 people.
Hundreds took shelter in local schools as vast flooding and winds had damaged homes, structures, boats roads, and boardwalks.
Damage is still being assessed. Emergency crews were deployed to assist with repairing damaged runways, power and sewer infrastructure and begin evacuating and airlifting residents to shelter in Bethel as of Tuesday.
Click on photos to see gallery.
https://nativenewsonline.net/environment/in-photos-residents-of-western-alaska-share-storm-damage-of-ex-typhoon-halong#sigProIda4770d0d51
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher