More than 30 people have been rescued and three others remain missing in western Alaska after the remnants of Typhoon Halong brought hurricane-force winds and flooding strong enough to sweep away entire homes in coastal communities, authorities said.
Rescue planes were sent to the small Alaskan villages of Kipnock and Kwijelenjuk, where there were reports of people who may be missing, said Jeremy Zedek, spokesman for the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
“We’ve received reports that people’s homes have been floated, and that people are potentially in those homes,” Zedek told the Associated Press.
In Kwijelenjuk, at least 18 people were rescued and three people were still missing, Alaska State Troopers said in a social media post Sunday evening. In Kibnock, at least 16 people were rescued and forces received indirect reports of people missing. They were working with local officials to determine how many people were missing. Search efforts are expected to continue throughout the night if conditions permit.
According to the non-profit Coastal Villages Area Trust, nearly 600 people in Kipnuk have taken refuge in a school while about 300 people in Kwijelenjok have taken refuge in a school there. The area is among the most isolated in the United States, with some communities having only a few roads and residents using boardwalks, boats and snowmobiles to get around, Zedek said.
“Every effort will be made to assist those affected by this storm. Help is on the way,” Governor Mike Dunleavy said in a statement.
On the east coast, Forecasters warned Major coastal flooding is possible Monday in the mid-Atlantic, especially from Virginia to New Jersey, with strong onshore winds, high waves and high tides. Coastal flooding is expected to peak Monday afternoon and gradually improve through Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
nor’easter The hurricane made its way up the East Coast over the weekend, washing out roads and delaying air travel. Dangerous surf conditions were expected to continue Monday, creating strong rip currents and beach erosion along several East Coast beaches, the weather service said. Wind gusts over 55 mph (89 km/h) remained possible along New Jersey, Long Island and southern New England through Monday afternoon.
New Jersey was under a state of emergency starting Saturday evening. New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued an emergency declaration for eight southern counties in her state as the storm intensified on Sunday evening. She urged people to monitor the forecast and avoid travel. New York City’s Columbus Day Parade has been cancelled.
In Delaware, emergency management officials activated the state’s National Guard on Sunday in response to rising flood waters and high winds. A voluntary evacuation order has been issued for the town of Powers Beach, where the Murderkill River flows into Delaware Bay.
In the Outer Banks of North Carolina, it is an area that can be seen Significant damage due to the storm This season, ocean flooding has spread across Interstate 12 near Paxton, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office posted online Sunday. The North Carolina Department of Transportation said crews were working to clear the highway that was closed in Ocracoke and Hatteras on Sunday.
The waves were heavy in the town of Paxton on Hatteras Island, where several beachfront homes fell into the water in recent weeks. One house was losing its supports on Sunday and appeared on the verge of collapse.