Alaskan Village Loses Thousands of Priceless Artifacts in Devastating Storm

On October 11-12, 2025, the remnants of Typhoon Halong struck the western Alaskan community of Quinhagak, near the edge of the Bering Sea. While the village was spared the widespread devastation seen in neighboring areas, it suffered a different kind of blow. The lashing winds and storm surge devoured dozens of feet of shoreline, disrupting a culturally significant archaeological site and washing away possibly thousands of unearthed artifacts.

Archaeologist Rick Knecht, who has worked on the Nunalleq, or old village, project for 17 years, estimates that around 100,000 pieces, including wooden masks and tools, were left scattered by the storm. This is roughly the same number of artifacts previously recovered from the site, which has yielded the world's largest collection of pre-contact Yup'ik artifacts.

The storm's impact has left major gaps in the archaeological record, making it difficult for researchers to fully understand Yup'ik life before the arrival of outsiders. "When there are holes or disturbances in the site, it's like trying to read a book with holes in the pages," Knecht explains. "The bigger those holes are, the weaker the story gets."

The Quinhagak community, which relies heavily on subsistence food gathering, now faces the ongoing threat of climate change. Melting permafrost, coastal erosion, and the potential for more frequent or stronger storms pose risks not only to the archaeological site but also to the community's infrastructure, including homes and critical facilities.

Archaeologists hope to return to the site next spring for a "rescue excavation" of the layers exposed by the storm, but the damage done by Typhoon Halong has left an indelible mark on this culturally significant piece of Yup'ik heritage.