ENVIRONMENT

Why recovery will be tough for Alaska’s villages flooded by an unusually powerful storm

Remnants of Typhoon Halong slammed Western Alaska’s Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta on Oct. 12, sending storm surge 60 miles upriver, wrenching homes from foundations and setting some adrift with residents inside. Officials reported more than 50 rescues in Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, hundreds displaced, and at least one death. The ex-typhoon took an unusual, late-shifting track that models struggled to pin down until 36 hours out—potentially worsened by gaps in weather-balloon data—after crossing unusually warm Pacific waters. In roadless villages, recovery is daunting: winter looms, housing is scarce, supplies arrive by barge, and rebuilding may wait until summer.

Reviewed by JQJO team

#alaska #storm #flooding #climate #recovery