Alaska Coastal Communities Recover from Storm Surge, Prepare for Second System

Hundreds of residents in Northwest Alaska spent last night in shelters as floodwaters receded following a powerful storm that brought high waters and coastal flooding, prompting evacuations in Kotzebue and Kivalina.

Yesterday, officials reported 109 people sheltered in Kotzebue and 287 in Kivalina, according to Jeremy Zidek, spokesman for the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued in Kotzebue Wednesday afternoon, described by city officials as “precautionary but necessary to minimize danger, support safety efforts, and prevent the potential loss of life.” Kivalina, approximately 80 miles northwest of Kotzebue, issued a non-mandatory evacuation order. This event highlights the increasing vulnerability of Arctic communities to extreme weather events due to climate change.

As of this morning, state officials have not received reports of injuries, and damage appears limited to road damage, seawall erosion, and minor water incursion into buildings, primarily in the Northwest Arctic Borough. Schools are open today except for those in Kivalina and Kotzebue. Governor Mike Dunleavy issued a disaster declaration to aid in recovery efforts. “I want to commend the people along the western and northern coast for all the preparations that took place prior to the storm,” stated Mark Roberts, the state’s emergency operations center incident commander.

However, residents are bracing for another strong storm system expected to impact the same region over the weekend as the remnants of former typhoon Halong move into the Bering Sea. The National Weather Service has issued a high wind watch from Hooper Bay to Shishmaref, forecasting south winds of 30 to 60 mph with gusts up to 80 mph, potentially causing power outages and travel disruptions; you can find more information about preparing for severe weather from the Ready.gov website.