Dozens rescued, several missing after powerful storm hits western Alaska

A powerful storm slammed into western Alaska over the weekend, flooding coastal communities, destroying homes, and leaving several people unaccounted for, according to state officials.

The Alaska State Troopers said Monday that at least 34 people were rescued in the hardest-hit communities of Kwigillingok and Kipnuk, where strong winds and severe flooding pushed multiple homes off their foundations. Another 18 people were rescued in Kwigillingok and 16 in Kipnuk, while three people remain unaccounted for.

Troopers said they also received unconfirmed reports of additional missing residents in Kipnuk and are working with local officials to verify them.

The storm struck the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region, bringing destructive winds and surging water that inundated homes and swept away structures, according to Alaska Public Media. Entire houses were lifted and carried away by floodwaters, some with families still inside.

Search and rescue operations are being coordinated by the Alaska State Troopers with help from the Alaska Air National Guard, Alaska Army National Guard, and U.S. Coast Guard. Aircraft have been deployed to locate missing residents and assist those displaced by the flooding.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the images… showing the devastation in Western Alaska: homes swept away, families displaced, and communities grappling with unimaginable loss,” Senator Lisa Murkowski said in a statement.

The storm was the powerful remnant of Typhoon Halong, which formed in the northern Philippine Sea in early October before crossing the Pacific and merging with a low-pressure system in the Bering Sea, according to meteorologists. The resulting coastal storm struck western Alaska, producing sustained winds of 60 to 70 mph and gusts reaching hurricane strength