One year after Typhoon Halong devastated Kwigillingok, most of the Yup’ik village’s residents remain away from home and uncertain when they can return. Lucy Martin, the village’s tribal resilience coordinator, is still living in Bethel, about 70 miles northeast of Kwigillingok, along with many other evacuees.
Only around 30 of the 361 people who lived in the village before the storm have returned. Kwigillingok remains under a “no-go-home” order because much of its housing and essential infrastructure is still unsafe or unusable. Boardwalks, plumbing and the community water pipeline were damaged, while many houses were displaced or overwhelmed by mold.
The remnants of Typhoon Halong struck southwestern Alaska during the early hours of October 12, 2025. A storm surge driven by strong winds and a high tide reached more than 6.3 feet above the normal highest tide line, exceeding the previous record by more than twofold.
The surge lifted 46 of Kwigillingok’s 99 homes from their foundations and carried some of them for miles. It also destroyed boardwalks, power lines, vehicles, boats and food stored in freezers. Caskets were swept from the cemetery, and three people died. The evacuation of roughly 1,500 people from Kwigillingok, Kipnuk and Nightmute became Alaska’s largest domestic rescue operation.
Recovery has progressed slowly. Debris has been removed from some areas, and portions of the elevated boardwalks have been repaired or reinforced, but extensive damage remains. Martin said about 13 houses had been partially repaired, while others were left overturned, in the tundra or piled against neighboring structures. The school remains closed, and dozens of caskets await reburial on a boardwalk, with additional caskets still in the tundra.
Kwigillingok and Kipnuk voted this year to relocate to higher ground. Residents say the loss of permafrost has left the land sunken and vulnerable to flooding and erosion, making the existing sites unsafe over the long term. However, neither state nor federal disaster recovery programs is designed to finance the relocation of entire communities.
The state has committed $75 million to recovery efforts. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved and largely distributed $62.9 million in individual and housing assistance to more than 2,500 households, along with $40.2 million for other needs, including fishing gear, fish racks and smokehouses. FEMA has also set aside nearly $9 million for critical infrastructure in affected communities.
Alaska officials say those resources are insufficient. Bryan Fisher, director of the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, estimates the total cost of recovery will exceed $400 million. The state’s request for additional FEMA funding for permanent housing construction was denied after an eight-month wait, and officials are preparing an appeal.
Construction work has also been delayed. Alaska’s transportation department said crews were waiting for FEMA funding before resuming work, and no crews were present in Kwigillingok from early September to mid-October despite relatively mild weather. Residents have criticized the pace and quality of repairs, saying some homes repaired by contractors were unoccupied before the storm and that certain sewage tanks were not properly installed for subarctic conditions.
Darell John, one of the few people who stayed in Kwigillingok after the evacuation, said the village would have benefited more from portable housing that could shelter residents until a new site was ready. Martin also criticized the repair of water-damaged, mold-infested houses as an inefficient use of funds. The transportation department said it worked with tribal leaders and the Association of Village Council Presidents to identify and prioritize homes for emergency stabilization.
State officials are seeking enough repairs to make the existing villages usable temporarily while relocation plans are developed. A federal agency source said FEMA’s Public Assistance program may allow communities to use funds for damaged facilities on alternate projects at a new location. Recovery policy expert Andrew Rumbach cautioned that such funding would cover only specific infrastructure and would not finance a complete village relocation.
Despite the obstacles, Kwigillingok’s tribal leadership continues to pursue resettlement. Martin, a licensed drone pilot and GIS mapper, is collecting aerial and ground data to support grant applications. She said the community remains committed to moving away from danger and staying connected with evacuees in Bethel, Anchorage and nearby communities.
Sources: Inside Climate News.