Typhoon Halong battered Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim delta, damaging up to 15 villages. In Kipnuk, state officials estimate 90% of homes destroyed; nearly all 700 residents were evacuated. Record tides and 107 mph winds swept away houses; 67-year-old Ella Mae Kashatok died and two relatives are missing. The storm exposed deepening climate risks and reignited aid disputes: Kipnuk’s $20m EPA erosion grant was canceled; FEMA funds unlocked by a disaster declaration haven’t arrived; officials urged a coordinated response. Amid grief, volunteers worked to restore power, evacuees reunited with pets, and experts urged tribes be central in recovery talks.
Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.
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