2025 October West Coast Storm – Disaster Update

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF RICHARDSON, Alaska — The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) continues to coordinate the response to the 2025 October West Coast Storms, including Typhoon Halong and related storms. A Request for Federal Assistance is under consideration by President Trump. The SEOC remains at Level 4 – Major Incident Response. Disaster Assistance Centers (DAC) are planned for Anchorage and Bethel. These DACs will assist with and collect applications for state Individual Assistance. As of this morning, 695 applications for state Individual Assistance have been received. Survivors in designated disaster areas may register for the State of Alaska’s Individual Assistance program: • Online: https://ready.alaska.gov/ia • By phone: 1-844-445-7131 The program provides financial assistance for damages to primary residences, vehicles, essential personal property, and medical, funeral, or dental needs directly resulting from the declared disaster. Congregate shelters are open in Anchorage, Bethel, and Kwigillingok. Additional survivors are sheltering with neighbors, family, or friends in multiple communities. Overnight, there was a total of 327 individuals sheltered: Egan Center – 185, Alaska Airlines Center – 130, Bethel – 0, Kwigillingok – 12. The Alaska National Guard’s mission has transitioned from transport for evacuation to community and survivor support. Through the Alaska National Guard, 659 individuals have been evacuated from Bethel to Anchorage. While large-scale evacuations have concluded, continued small scale evacuations will transition to using traditional private sector air transport. Ongoing coordination between the SEOC and other state, local, and tribal agencies is occurring to deliver supplies and needed personnel to the impacted communities. Assessments of the hardest hit communities are concluding and personnel, supplies, and equipment from the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection, and Alaska Organized Militia are deploying to conduct emergency repairs of homes and cleanup debris. Alaska Division of Transportation and Public Facilities, at the request of local communities, is moving into communities to rapidly make critical infrastructure repairs before winter sets in. In coordination with DEC, the SEOC is sending vaccines and other veterinary supplies to Bethel to support the veterinarian in Bethel. Pets are entering foster homes and reunification with pet owners continues. Shower and Laundry services have been delivered to the shelters and are being utilized by shelter residents. Anchorage School District is providing transportation from shelters to community meetings and cultural events, while registering and providing transportation for students to local schools. ANTHC is accepting donations of traditional foods at the Alaska Native Medical Center and is providing subsistence-based meals for shelter residents along with medical support. Northwest Arctic Borough (NWAB) Village Public Safety Officers in Kotzebue are continuing to assist in disaster response operation, and AKOM plans to do emergency repairs on 10 additional homes. No one was sheltered in Kotzebue overnight. Seward Peninsula No survivors were sheltered overnight. DOT&PF is working to make interim repairs of state-owned infrastructure. Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta A pallet of supplies for DEC Spill Prevention and Response was shipped to Bethel today. DEC personnel are travelling to Kipnuk and Napakiak today for spill response. The team will travel to Nightmute tomorrow. No survivors were sheltered overnight in the Bethel school or Bethel Armory. In Kwigillingok, five Remote Maintenance Works will arrive tomorrow to make repairs to the water infrastructure and bring it back to full operation. AKOM is continuing to conduct cleanup operations. There are 10 – 12 individuals that remain in the community. Generators and fuel have been delivered. In Kipnuk, AKOM is conducting cleanup operations, while DEC SPAR and U.S. Coast Guard teams are scheduling a visit. The community’s power distribution system has been severely damaged; however, the powerhouse does not have substantial damage. Interagency Partner Operations Alaska National Guard (AKNG): AKNG has 123 members activated on State Active Duty with additional authorized as needed for disaster response. American Red Cross: Last night, the Red Cross sheltered 185 individuals at the Egan Center and 130 at the Alaska Airlines Center. Anchorage School District (ASD): There have been 60 students enrolled in the ASD system and school bus service is being provided from the shelters to schools with Yup’ik immersion programs. Students began attending class today. Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP): AVCP is sending four staff members to the Anchorage shelters on Monday to assist evacuees with obtaining replacement Tribal identification cards. AVCP is continuing to work with YKHC to conduct community assessments, support home repairs, and coordinate debris removal efforts in affected YK Delta communities.