FunkyFerret
Well-known member
Alaska's Southwestern Villages Reel from Devastating Typhoon, Leaving 1500 Displaced and Seeking Federal Aid
A powerful storm has brought catastrophic destruction to remote villages in southwestern Alaska, displacing over 1500 people and prompting a massive air evacuation effort. The remnants of Typhoon Halong made landfall in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta over the weekend, unleashing fierce winds, rain, and record-breaking storm surge that inundated homes and left them floating on their foundations.
The scale of the disaster has surpassed Alaska's capacity to respond, prompting a plea from state leaders for federal aid. Governor Mike Dunleavy has asked President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster, which would allow additional federal resources to be allocated to repair housing and utilities before winter sets in.
At least one person is dead, and two are missing, as the storm ravaged communities on the south-west coast like an earthquake. In the village of Kipnuk, Alexie Stone described seeing under the water outside his window, with a shed drifting towards him before turning away. The house has become uninhabitable, along with most of the village.
Resident Julia Stone, a village police officer, was working when the winds picked up and residents called for help, reporting that their houses were floating. She described the situation as "chaos" but praised the community's resilience in the face of disaster. "It's a nightmare what we went through, but I thank God we are together."
The damage is extensive, with water levels exceeding 6ft in Kipnuk and 3 dozen homes drifting away in Kwigillingok. In the village of Napaskiak, water, sewer, and well systems are inoperable.
The disaster has shed light on recent Trump administration cuts to grants aimed at helping small villages prepare for storms or mitigate disaster risks. The cancellation of a $20m US Environmental Protection Agency grant to Kipnuk has left the community vulnerable to future flooding.
As Alaskans rally around displaced evacuees, over $1 million has been raised to support those affected by the storm. With the situation still unfolding, it remains to be seen how effectively federal aid will address the disaster's aftermath.
A powerful storm has brought catastrophic destruction to remote villages in southwestern Alaska, displacing over 1500 people and prompting a massive air evacuation effort. The remnants of Typhoon Halong made landfall in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta over the weekend, unleashing fierce winds, rain, and record-breaking storm surge that inundated homes and left them floating on their foundations.
The scale of the disaster has surpassed Alaska's capacity to respond, prompting a plea from state leaders for federal aid. Governor Mike Dunleavy has asked President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster, which would allow additional federal resources to be allocated to repair housing and utilities before winter sets in.
At least one person is dead, and two are missing, as the storm ravaged communities on the south-west coast like an earthquake. In the village of Kipnuk, Alexie Stone described seeing under the water outside his window, with a shed drifting towards him before turning away. The house has become uninhabitable, along with most of the village.
Resident Julia Stone, a village police officer, was working when the winds picked up and residents called for help, reporting that their houses were floating. She described the situation as "chaos" but praised the community's resilience in the face of disaster. "It's a nightmare what we went through, but I thank God we are together."
The damage is extensive, with water levels exceeding 6ft in Kipnuk and 3 dozen homes drifting away in Kwigillingok. In the village of Napaskiak, water, sewer, and well systems are inoperable.
The disaster has shed light on recent Trump administration cuts to grants aimed at helping small villages prepare for storms or mitigate disaster risks. The cancellation of a $20m US Environmental Protection Agency grant to Kipnuk has left the community vulnerable to future flooding.
As Alaskans rally around displaced evacuees, over $1 million has been raised to support those affected by the storm. With the situation still unfolding, it remains to be seen how effectively federal aid will address the disaster's aftermath.
. Like, how do you plan for a disaster if you're not even giving them the resources to prepare? This is just so not fair to these communities that are already struggling.
. Hopefully the aid comes soon and they can get back on their feet before winter hits 
alaska is already super remote and now they have to deal with a massive typhoon that just broke records left and right 1500 people displaced thats crazy 
i feel bad for alexie stone seeing his house getting flooded like that he must be going through some major trauma 
and the fact that they had grant cuts from the trump admin is just cherry on top it's not like they had any way to prepare or mitigate the damage but still we should all try to help in every way we can 
And to think those federal aid cuts are gonna make things worse? That $20m grant cancellation is like, totally devastating 
. Can't believe ppl have to suffer through this & no one's doin enuf about it 
. I mean, the Stones r doin okay but 1500 displaced? 
displaced and struggling to get help. i feel bad for the ppl who lost their homes, especially those who were in Kipnuk - it sounds like a nightmare 
. and now they're worried about winter coming and the damage getting worse... 
it's crazy that the storm was so powerful, like an earthquake 
but instead of shaking buildings, it flooded them 
. hopefully the federal aid comes through and helps the ppl rebuild 
. the community's resilience is def admirable tho 
. what's the deal with trumps admin cuttin' funds? didnt they know typhoons would happen again?! 
. The fact that some grants were cut by the Trump administration is really concerning - it's not exactly the help you need in situations like this 
. But at the same time, I'm glad to see the community coming together and showing so much resilience 
. And $1 million raised for the evacuees? That's amazing! The US government needs to step up with some serious aid ASAP 
these villages are already struggling and now they're facing even more challenges 
. I'm all for the community coming together and raising funds, but the lack of preparedness due to those Trump administration cuts is a major red flag 
. How can we expect our villages to be resilient if they're not being given the resources to prepare? 
Let's hope the federal aid arrives soon and helps them rebuild 
The villagers should've seen it coming. It's not like Typhoon Halong was a surprise or anything - they knew it was gonna be bad. And now they're expecting federal aid? Give me a break! 
They should've been prepared for this kind of thing. I mean, they're in Alaska, not Miami! 
), but those grant cuts to help villages prepare for storms gotta be a concern. I feel bad for the community in Kipnuk, they're gonna need some serious aid to get back on their feet 
the fact that they had a grant cut off for preparedness is just heartbreaking. how can we not be prepared for disasters? 
. I hope the federal aid comes through soon to help them rebuild and get back on their feet 
it's crazy how some ppl think disaster prep is just a "optional" thing 