Alaskan Village Devastated by Typhoon Halong, Residents Evacuated

On October 11, 2025, Typhoon Halong struck the Yukon-Kuskokwim (YK) delta in Alaska, devastating the Indigenous village of Kipnuk and several other communities. The storm unleashed hurricane-force winds and towering waves that sent rivers and sloughs spilling over their banks, sweeping away homes, downing power lines, and spilling fuel tanks into the wetlands.

Kipnuk, a village of nearly 700 residents, was the hardest hit, with an estimated 90% of homes destroyed and half of its boardwalks snapped like twigs. Almost all the villagers were evacuated by military aircraft, with some dramatically airlifted from their homes. The disaster underscored the growing dangers facing the YK delta, which is one of the six major climate impact zones in Alaska, due to thawing permafrost, chronic erosion, and increased flooding from stronger and more frequent storms.

The region has long faced a climate dilemma, with warming happening nearly four times faster than the global average. While government funding and attention have increased, villages like Kipnuk continue to struggle to access the resources they need to defend themselves. The Trump administration's cancellation of a $20 million EPA grant for Kipnuk to fight coastal erosion is just one example of the ongoing challenges these communities face.

As the residents of Kipnuk begin the long process of rebuilding, the future of their community remains uncertain. The climate crisis looms large, and the need for comprehensive support and action to protect these vulnerable villages has never been more urgent.