Floods in Alaska: at least one dead, three missing and nearly 1,000 displaced

Authorities in Alaska confirmed the first fatality from the weekend’s severe weather, as remnants of Typhoon Halong struck coastal communities with hurricane-force winds, storm surges, and rising waters. The storm even tore entire houses off their foundations.

Two of the affected communities were Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. Between them, authorities had to rescue at least 51 people, some from the rooftops of buildings. In Kwigillingok, the death of one woman was confirmed, along with the disappearance of three others. Later in the afternoon, the Alaska State Troopers reported that they were working to verify missing persons reports in Kipnuk.

About 1,000 people were forced to evacuate, according to an interim count from the region's largest healthcare provider, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation. At least 180 people were sheltered in two schools, and 37 homes "have been lost, and a significant number of others are significantly damaged."

Search and rescue efforts began early Monday and continued through the night. Assisting the Alaska State Troopers are the Coast Guard, the Alaska Army National Guard, and the Alaska Air National Guard.

"Several of these villages have been completely devastated," said Capt. Christopher Culpepper, commander of Coast Guard Sector West Alaska and Arctic, in a statement reported by local media Alaska Beacon. "Absolutely flooded, several feet deep, and so this took homes off of foundations. This put people in peril, where folks were swimming, floating, trying to find debris to hold on to in the cover of darkness, at nighttime." The priority now, he stressed, is "preservation of life."

"It’s heartbreaking to see the images," said state Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a native of Alaska. "Homes swept away, families displaced, and communities grappling with unimaginable loss." She also said she was "deeply grateful" to first responders and the "every Good Samaritan looking out for their neighbors." "Seeing Alaskans care for one another in this storm gives me hope."

Severe weather to continue this week

Although the National Weather Service (NWS) noted that the storm was receding, with its center shifting toward Canadian waters, they warned that some areas could still be at risk of flooding through Tuesday.

They also warned that a new storm with high winds is expected to arrive on Tuesday, although rising water levels are likely to be less severe. The storm is expected to reach its peak intensity Tuesday night and dissipate by Wednesday daytime.

Rising water, expected to reach no more than 2 feet (less than 1 meter) above the normal high tide line, will be “nowhere near previous levels.” The impact will again be felt mostly in Kipnuk and Kwigillingok.

Although less intense, the new storm may further complicate rescue and recovery efforts. Local authorities said that recovery will take time and emphasized the need to accelerate efforts as much as possible before the onset of winter.