Hundreds evacuated after devastating Alaska floods

By Dean Murray

Hundreds of people have been airlifted from storm-ravaged Alaska towns following devastating floods and storm damage.

Alaska’s largest airlift in recent disaster history saw the US National Guard leading the mass evacuation.

Around 300 residents, including many families, were transported by C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft on October 15 from the overburdened regional hub of Bethel to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) near Anchorage, where they were moved on to shelter facilities.

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State officials reported that the priority had shifted to life sustainment and shelter after last week’s storm forced the evacuation of entire communities.

“Our focus now is making sure people are safe, warm, and cared for while we work with our partners to restore essential services,” said Mark Roberts, incident commander at Alaska’s State Emergency Operations Center.

“Our Guardsmen, Alaska State Defense Force, and Alaska Naval Militia members are fully engaged across the affected region, conducting evacuations, delivering critical supplies, and helping restore basic services,” said Col. Christen Brewer, AKNG’s Joint Staff operations officer. “We’re working hand-in-hand with the SEOC and local partners to ensure every Alaskan impacted by this storm has access to shelter, food, and care. This is an all-hands effort, and our commitment is to stay as long as we’re needed.”

The storm that hit Alaska’s West Coast was caused by the remnants of Typhoon Halong, which crossed the Pacific after passing Japan and struck the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. It brought hurricane-force winds, record-breaking coastal surges, and widespread flooding to remote villages.