Coastal Storm Destroys Homes in Western Alaska

What is left of the former Typhoon Halong is inundating the coast of western Alaska to close out the weekend, forcing the expansion of a disaster declaration to more communities as local officials field reports of missing residents. Here is a closer look at what is happening in this corner of the country.

Coastal Storm Hammering Western Alaska

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is assuring residents that help is on the way as a massive flooding event swept away homes and trapped residents on Sunday. The heavy rain is a result of the remnants of Typhoon Halong, a storm that roared through the Pacific before moving into the Bering Sea over the weekend. The storm unleashed hurricane-force wind gusts, massive waves, and major coastal flooding for the Kuskokwim Delta and Alaskan communities located south of the Bering Strait.

Gov. Dunleavy expanded a disaster declaration that he first issued on Thursday in an effort to expedite help to the battered region. The expanded disaster declaration also now includes Yupitt, Pribilof Island, and Lower Kuskokwim Regional Education Attendance Areas.

High winds and flooding rainfall sent water through homes and across roadways in the villages of Nome, Bethel, Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, and Kotzebue. The Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management confirmed that wind speeds reached as high as 100 mph, pairing with the storm surge and rainfall to create destruction across a wide swath of coastline. High wind warnings were issued for the Nunivak Island and Kuskokwim Delta Coast with forecast wind speeds of up to 90 mph on tap. The interior portion of the Kuskokwim Delta is forecast to continue to see wind speeds up to 75 mph.