Remote Alaska Village Still Rebuilding a Year After Typhoon Halong
A year after the remnants of Typhoon Halong ripped through Western Alaska, Kipnuk’s residents remain displaced and homes are only partially restored.
Recovery in remote Alaskan communities highlights the challenges of rebuilding after extreme weather events.
Extent of the damage
In October 2025 the remnants of Typhoon Halong moved through Western Alaska, destroying infrastructure and floating homes off their foundations in several small Alaska Native villages. In Kipnuk, a village of under 200 homes that is only consistently reachable by plane, the State of Alaska's Emergency Operations Center reported that 90% of residences were damaged.
Dozens of houses were swept off their foundations, some with families still inside, leaving more than a thousand people displaced across the region.
Ongoing reconstruction
Construction crews have been on the tundra for months. In August, Eddie Chuckwuk’s crew used air compressors to lift a building back onto its foundation, a method described as “magic” by onlookers. Chuckwuk, who grew up in Kipnuk, said his team is working “as fast as possible … to get the people back in town.”
Workers continue to clear debris and repair roofs, windows and doors. The effort is critical for making homes habitable again, but the town is far from fully restored.
Funding and insurance gaps
The state estimates that FEMA assistance will allow most homes to be livable by Thanksgiving, covering tasks such as replacing wet insulation and repairing structural elements. However, most residents lacked home or flood insurance, and the allocated funds will not fully restore severely damaged houses. The state is appealing for additional funding to build replacement housing.
Community impact
There is no set date for the local school to reopen. Leona Paul, a cook who feeds the construction crews, noted that even if houses become habitable, many—especially older residents—remain overwhelmed by the trauma of the storm.
As the repair work continues, the future timeline for residents to return to Kipnuk remains uncertain.
Long‑term recovery will depend on both financial resources and the community’s willingness to rebuild in a place that has been profoundly altered.
