Alaska hit by severe flooding that washes away homes

The remnants of Typhoon Halong brought hurricane-force winds and catastrophic flooding to coastal communities across western Alaska on Sunday, pushing entire homes off their foundations.

Rescue planes were sent to the tiny Alaskan villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, where up to 20 people may be missing, said Jeremy Zidek, a spokesman for the state’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

“We received reports that people’s houses were blown away and people were potentially in those houses,” Zidek told the Associated Press.

Alaska State Troopers said Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were hit by “strong winds and heavy flooding overnight, which caused significant damage, including at least eight homes being pushed off their foundations.”

In Kwigillingok, at least 18 people were rescued, while at least 16 people were rescued in Kipnuk, Alaska State Troopers said Sunday evening local time. Three people were still missing in Kwigillingok as of 6:50 p.m. local time. Troopers also received reports of people still missing in Kipnuk, but could not confirm the exact number.

More than a dozen agencies are involved in disaster response, CBS affiliate KXDF-TV reported, including the Alaska National Guard.

“The Alaska Organized Militia, which includes the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force, and Alaska Naval Militia, has been asked to activate up to 60 members to assist with storm response operations in affected communities in western Alaska,” the National Guard wrote Saturday.

Alaska Governor: “Help is on the way”

More than 170 people spent the night at a community shelter in Kipnuk, where water rose overnight to 6.6 feet above the highest tide. At least eight houses were swept away, Zidek said.

Roads and sidewalks were flooded and power lines were damaged in Bethel, Napaskiak, Napakiak and other Yukon-Kuskokwim communities. Crews worked to clear the Bethel Airport runway, which was littered with debris from the high winds. The region is one of the most isolated in the United States, where some communities have few roads and residents use boardwalks, boats and snowmobiles to get around, Zidek said.

“Every effort will be made to help those impacted by this storm. Help is on the way,” Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a statement.

Dunleavy also said he expanded the state’s disaster declaration to include areas affected by the storm. It initially issued a disaster declaration for western Alaska on Thursday, following another powerful storm.