After Typhoon Halong unleashed its fury on the village of Kipnuk, Alaska. Almost all of the 700 inhabitants have been forced to leave, the beautiful landscape reduced to ashes. Kipnuk is located in one of Alaska’s six climate change impact zones. This community sits atop delicate tundra known as “usteq,” which is extremely vulnerable to land subsidence. The storm affected as many as 15 villages around the Yukon-Kuskokwim (YK) delta. Residents have called it the most catastrophic event that the village of Kipnuk, with a population of about 450, has encountered in living memory.
According to a recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report, that’s a scary reality. Climate change in Kipnuk is occurring at nearly four times the rate of the global average. Rapid climate change has worsened the event of Typhoon Halong. State emergency officials estimate that it wiped out more than 90% of Kipnuk’s homes and snapped half of its wooden boardwalks like so many matchsticks. The Kugkaktlik River forms the landward boundary of the village, and as the storm surge pushed inland across the tundra, residents could only watch helplessly in horror.
Evacuations were done very quickly, with military aircraft airlifting civilians from their residences before the storm made landfall. Others endured harrowing rescues as they tried to get away from rapidly rising floodwaters.
“Some people want to come back. They didn’t want to go.” – Paul
Of those, Kipnuk has already been pointed out as the hardest-hit village in the region. The damage is not only physical but deeply emotional, as many residents grapple with uncertainty about their future. Tribal leaders are raising the alarm on the lack of available federal resources. This remains the case despite the disaster declaration granted during the Biden administration that enabled the village to tap into Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds. As we near the end of FY23, tribal leaders say none of this money has actually arrived.
As the storm recovery continues, the fate of the village remains uncertain. Kipnuk previously received a grant for necessary improvements, but that grant was rescinded, leaving residents without crucial resources for recovery.
“It is very difficult for these communities to get grants because they’re very competitive. And these villages are subsistence-based villages. They don’t have a way to bring money in a lot of times.” – Sheryl Musgrove
The challenges Kipnuk faces are even more complicated by its economic situation. Subsistence living is an essential component of most residents’ lives, often leaving the village unable to compete for funding and grants amidst an extensive village funding competition. State officials have admitted that if they do not receive major resources and collective action on their behalf, there is no way to rebuild Kipnuk.
“[Twenty]-million of hardworking U.S. tax dollars are currently sitting in the U.S. treasury instead of swept into the Kuskokwim River.” – Lee Zeldin
The road to recovery will take sustained, focused work by all constituencies—states, local governments, businesses, and advocates—working together. Lisa Murkowski, a U.S. Senator from Alaska, emphasized that rebuilding will take both resources and commitment from local and federal entities.
“It’s going to take resources and a combined effort.” – Murkowski
Rick Thoman, a retired climate scientist, underscored the importance of bringing tribal voices into future conversations about disaster recovery. As discussions continue around infrastructure investments and other support, he emphasized that these views are essential.
“We have to hope that the tribes are front and center in these conversations.” – Rick Thoman
Typhoon Halong left in its wake a tremendous destruction. This disaster serves as a reminder of the heavy toll climate change has taken on the most vulnerable communities including Kipnuk. With its homes devastated and infrastructure deeply disrupted, community members face bleak prospects ahead.