Alaskan Villages Devastated by Typhoon Remnants, Hundreds Airlifted to Safety

On October 27, 2025, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Alaska, shaking the state's largest city of Anchorage, home to around 300,000 people. The quake, centered about 29 miles southeast of Fox River and 110 miles south of Anchorage, was followed by a 2.6 magnitude aftershock just five minutes later.

In a separate incident, the remnants of a typhoon that had been moving near Japan the previous week battered Alaska's northwestern region on October 29, 2025. The storm surge reached over six feet above the normal tide line in some areas, completely demolishing and submerging homes in the coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. Authorities had to airlift hundreds of people to safety, in one of the most significant rescue operations in Alaska's history.

The typhoon's far-reaching effects intensified storms across the North Pacific, leading to the devastating impact on Alaska's coastal communities. One local resident described feeling the "rolling and a good-sized crack and final shake" from the powerful earthquake. The region is no stranger to seismic activity, with the Aleutian arc being particularly prone to major quakes and aftershocks.