1 dead, dozens rescued, some still missing after typhoon barrels along Alaska coast

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) - One person is dead and at least two people are still missing in Western Alaska as the remnants of Typhoon Halong start to subside.

Dozens of people were rescued as former Typhoon Halong made landfall overnight into Sunday.

The remnants of the storm battered multiple communities along the Bering Sea coast over the weekend, leaving flooded towns and homes floating off their foundations.

On Monday, troopers reported the body of an adult woman was found in Kwigillingok.

The death is the first one reported by authorities, although troopers say two more people are still unaccounted for in the Kwigillingok area.

Troopers said at least 51 people and two dogs have been rescued from the two villages.

Tidal gauges near Kipnuk and Kwigillingok topped out near record levels through the weekend.

Southwest Alaska was among the hardest hit locations, with the tidal gauge near Kipnuk reaching 14.52 feet. The major flood stage begins around 12 feet.

This flooding surpassed the recent record of 13 feet set back in 2000. This flooding swept homes from their foundation as flooding was the primary source of water for Kipnuk, a community of roughly 500 people.

Kwigillingok, which also consists of almost 500 residents, saw record flooding, as the tidal gauge near Kwigillingok topped out at 16.69 feet.

Kipnuk resident Tamura Paul told Alaska’s News Source that she woke up to not only water in her home, but her entire house was not where it used to be.

Chief Meteorologist Melissa Frey spoke with her by phone Sunday morning. She said she was scared and hoping help would come soon. Her family also lives nearby and their house is floating as well, they think upriver, several miles from where the home left its foundation.

Erosion and debris could slow cleanup efforts in some locations, particularly in areas of Southwest Alaska.

More than a dozen agencies are involved in disaster response.

The Alaska Air National Guard, Army National Guard and U.S. Coast Guard have launched rescue aircraft to Kipnuk and Kwigillingok to locate and rescue missing or displaced people.

Anyone in need of immediate rescue is asked to contact the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at 907-551-7230.

The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center also deployed a C-130 aircraft and a helicopter Sunday afternoon to assist in search and rescue operations.