1 Dead, 51 Rescued as Western Alaska Communities Ravaged by Floods from Typhoon Halong’s Remnants

Record-breaking floods triggered by the remnants of Typhoon Halong have devastated parts of western Alaska, leaving at least one person dead and dozens rescued after the storm battered villages and crippled roads and airports across the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta over the weekend.

Alaska State Troopers confirmed Monday that a woman in the coastal village of Kwigillingok had died. Officials said 51 people and two dogs were rescued from Kwigillingok and Kipnuk, and all residents have since been accounted for.

The powerful coastal storm moved into the Bering Sea on Sunday, unleashing hurricane-force gusts, massive waves, and significant coastal flooding across communities south of the Bering Strait. Heavy rain and storm surge from another system earlier in the week worsened the situation, creating widespread destruction.

More than 1,400 people have been displaced, prompting large-scale search and rescue operations by state and federal agencies.

Video from Bethel captured intense flooding that swept away boats and damaged local infrastructure. Photos from Alaska’s Emergency Management showed dozens of homes surrounded by floodwaters. Wind gusts reached 100 mph, according to the National Weather Service, while footage from Emmonak showed waves flipping a boat onto its side.

The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center received a surge of calls for non-critical evacuations on Monday, with about 1,400 residents now housed in 12 shelters. Additional first responders and members of the Alaska National Guard have been deployed to assist.

Troopers reported rescuing over 30 people in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta communities during the weekend—18 in Kwigillingok and 16 in Kipnuk.

The Alaska Department of Transportation said more than 50 community airports and roads sustained damage. Since most villages in the region are not linked by continuous roads, local airports serve as vital lifelines for supplies and aid.

A Coastal Flood Warning remained in effect through Monday afternoon for much of coastal Alaska. The National Weather Service reported that water levels in Kipnuk reached 6.6 feet above the normal high tide, nearly 2 feet higher than the previous record set in 2000.

Damage surveys from the first round of flooding were completed last week before Halong’s remnants arrived, causing additional destruction. Footage from the Kotz Airport runway showed the extent of the flooding.

According to the Coastal Villages Region Fund, a local nonprofit, the devastation from Typhoon Halong could surpass that caused by Typhoon Merbok in 2022.