Halong's Fury: 1,500 Alaskans Still Displaced as Winter Looms
One month after Typhoon Halong ravaged western Alaska, 1,500 displaced residents race Arctic winter for rebuilding amid airlifted aid, extended disaster funds, and resilient community hope.
ANCHORAGE — One month after the remnants of Typhoon Halong unleashed devastating floods and hurricane-force winds on western Alaska's remote villages, recovery efforts are intensifying amid the encroaching Arctic winter.
The storm, which battered the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta from October 8 to 13, displaced over 1,500 residents, destroyed 90% of structures in communities like Kipnuk, and claimed at least one life. With rivers freezing and daylight shrinking, aid workers race against the clock to deliver essentials, The Guardian reports.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy extended the state's disaster declaration on November 11, unlocking continued emergency funding as the State Emergency Operations Center reported ongoing sheltering for hundreds in Bethel and Anchorage, according to Alaska Public Radio.
U.S. Army National Guard UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters ferried tons of building supplies from Bethel on November 6, supporting "Operation Halong" repairs, while the Department of Homeland Security approved $1 million in expedited aid on November 5.
The Red Cross and Team Rubicon have distributed relief, transitioning evacuees to non-congregate housing.
Yet challenges loom large.
Remote access—reliant on airlifts and boats—falters in subzero conditions, exacerbating a pre-existing housing crisis worsened by 2024 floods. Permafrost thaw and rising seas heighten vulnerability in these near-sea-level outposts.
Gov. Dunleavy warns that it could be 18 months before the 1,500 Alaskans displaced by the typhoons are able to return home, according to ABC News.
Federal FEMA approval on October 23 has spurred individual assistance applications, but experts warn full rebuilding may take years. As snow blankets the delta, hope persists through community resilience and national support.
In more positive news, a GoFundMe for an Alaskan priest who lost everything in the typhoon has raised over $100,000. This is up from about $25,000 when the UOJ initially reported on the GoFundMe on October 22.
