Tuesday, October 14, 2025-Dozens of residents have been rescued from remote Alaskan villages after a violent storm tore through the state’s western coastline, destroying homes, flooding communities, and cutting off power and communication lines.
Emergency officials say entire sections of small settlements were swept away by surging waves and hurricane-force winds, leaving many families stranded overnight.
The U.S. Coast Guard and Alaska National Guard coordinated multiple airlift operations, pulling survivors from rooftops and debris-strewn areas as temperatures plunged below freezing.
The devastation has left residents in shock. Many lost everything in the storm, which locals compared to the historic 2011 Bering Sea cyclone. Volunteers from neighboring towns are delivering supplies by snowmobile and boat, while makeshift shelters have been established in school buildings and community centers.
Social media posts show the scale of destruction—collapsed houses, uprooted trees, and fishing boats scattered inland. State officials have declared a disaster emergency, promising rapid deployment of relief resources once weather conditions stabilize.
Meteorologists say the storm, driven by an unusually intense low-pressure system, underscores the growing vulnerability of Alaska’s coastal regions to extreme weather. Climate experts warn that warming oceans and shrinking sea ice are amplifying storm surges, putting traditional communities at greater risk.
As rescue efforts continue, attention is turning to the long recovery ahead and to the urgent need for stronger infrastructure to protect Alaska’s most isolated populations from the next inevitable storm.
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