This blog post summarizes the dramatic aftermath of the remnants of Typhoon Halong striking western Alaska on October 12, 2025 — a rare and destructive event that produced record-high water levels, flooding/”>catastrophic flooding, and widespread community displacement.
It focuses on the human story of a Kwigillingok resident whose house was torn from its foundation while he was inside, the broader toll on remote villages, and the implications for emergency planning and resilience in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.
What happened: storm dynamics and immediate impacts
The storm system that slammed into western Alaska was the weakened but still potent remnants of a Pacific typhoon.
Even as the circulation decayed, it carried exceptional moisture, high winds, and produced an intense storm surge and record water levels along river channels and coastal zones.
Small, low-lying villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region bore the brunt of the surge and river flooding.
Communities experienced rapid inundation: power failures left residents in darkness as waves and fast-rising water overtopped structures.
The event displaced more than 2,000 people, resulted in at least one confirmed death, left two others missing, and prompted one of the largest airlift operations in Alaska’s history to move people and critical supplies out of isolated communities.
A survivor’s account and the human toll
The story of Steven Anaver in Kwigillingok illustrates both the suddenness of the flood and the danger faced by residents.
Videos he shared show water rapidly filling his home as waves battered the exterior and power failed.
By roughly 3 a.m., the water rose from knees to buoyancy within minutes, and the house began to float while he was still inside.
He described hearing loud booms as his house slammed into adjacent buildings, stripping siding and opening holes in walls that let in freezing wind and spray.
Disoriented, he posted updates to social media while drifting nearly a mile through the submerged village.
When the moon rose, he recognized a hill where his home finally came to rest, short of a river that had swept away other houses.
Two neighbors in waders rescued him after daybreak as waters receded enough to reach the stranded structure.
Why this matters: resilience, climate context, and response
As an emergency planner and scientist with decades of experience, I see several critical lessons from this event.
First, coastal and riverine communities in Alaska are increasingly vulnerable to compound events — storms combined with high rivers, sea-level anomalies, and warm atmospheric rivers that carry extreme moisture.
Second, infrastructure and housing in many remote villages were not designed for debris-laden surge and dynamic flooding.
Key takeaways for communities and decision-makers:
- Assess and prioritize relocation or elevation of critical infrastructure out of high-risk floodplains.
- Invest in robust early-warning systems that reach residents by radio, satellite messaging, and community networks when power and cell service fail.
- Strengthen evacuation planning and staging points so airlift and boat rescue operations can be executed faster in remote conditions.
- Upgrade housing standards to include anchoring, elevated foundations, and materials resilient to flood-borne impacts.
Coordinated large-scale responses — such as the recent massive airlift — highlight the logistical challenges in Alaska.
Weather windows are small, runway and landing infrastructure are limited, and coordination among tribal, state, federal agencies and NGOs is essential.
Integrating traditional local knowledge with scientific forecasting and durable funding for resilience projects will reduce risk and save lives.
Here is the source article for this story: A man took videos as his home floated away with him inside in Alaska’s storms