Rescue aircraft were deployed to Kipnuk and Kwigillingok villages in Alaska, where about 20 people may be missing, Jeremy Zidek, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security and the State of Alaska Emergency Management, said.
Alaska state police said that Kipnuk and Kwigillingok were both hit by heavy winds and severe flooding overnight, causing extensive damage, with at least eight houses swept away from the foundation.
In Kwigillingok, at least 18 people have been rescued; while in Kipnuk, at least 16 people have been brought to safety, according to information from the Alaska State Police on the evening of October 12, local time. As of 6:50 p.m. on October 12, three people were still missing in Kwigillingok. Police have also received reports of missing people in Kipnuk, but have not been able to confirm the specific number.
More than 10 agencies are participating in disaster response caused by the consequences of Ha Long's circulation in Alaska, including the Alaska National Guard. The US Coast Guard and the Alaska National Guard, along with the state police, mobilized C-130 transport aircraft and Blackhawk helicopters to support low-lying villages such as Kipnuk and Kwigillingok.
More than 170 people were taken overnight at a community center in Kipnuk, where water levels rose about 2m above the highest peak. At least eight houses were swept away, Zidek said.
Roads were flooded, power lines were damaged in Bethel, Napaskiak, Napakiak and other residential areas in the Yukon-Kuskokwim river area. Rescue teams are clearing the Bethel airport runway, which is flooded with garbage due to strong winds. This is one of the most remote areas in the US.
We will do our best to help those affected by this storm. Assistance is on the way," said Governor Mike Dunleavy. Dunleavy also expanded the state's disaster declaration scope to include areas affected by the circulation of Ha Long in the supported area. He had previously declared a state of disaster in western Alaska after another strong storm swept through the area on October 9.
Extreme weather originated from Typhoon Ha Long when sea surface temperatures above average in Japan interacted with colder air flows from Siberia, said Joshua Ribail, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. He noted that the storm brought winds of up to 129 km/h in some areas, and caused water levels to rise up to 2m above normal levels.
The impact of Ha Long's circulation in Alaska is forecast to dissipate in the next few hours, but the flood warning is still in effect. Another storm system is forecast to make landfall on the night of October 14, increasing the risk of flooding in Kwigillingok and neighboring Kongiganak village.
If storm circulation was a rare thing before, its becoming a household item, said Vivian Korthuis, managing director of the Village Council Association.
