Impact of Typhoon Halong Remnants
On October 11, the remnants of Typhoon Halong impacted Kwigillingok, an Alaska Native village on the southwestern coast. During the event, residences were moved from their foundations. Noah Andrew Sr., 74, a lifelong resident and Russian Orthodox priest, reported his house floating approximately two miles inland. Following this experience, Andrew Sr. expressed a desire to relocate from the village.
As a result of the storm, 678 individuals remain evacuated from the villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. For many residents of these communities, the Yup'ik language, Yugtun, is their primary language.
Decades of Climate Change Challenges
Kwigillingok has navigated the effects of climate change for decades, including permafrost thaw, erosion, and increased flooding. In recent years, the village has sought to relocate to higher ground further inland to maintain community cohesion. Currently, a defined plan for this relocation or committed funding is not in place.
Historically, many of these Alaskan villages were established by the federal government around schools, without considering future climate change impacts. If residents return to these locations, they face ongoing safety risks due to warmer climate conditions leading to more frequent flooding, erosion, and thawing permafrost.
Hundreds of individuals evacuated after the storm are now residing in larger cities such as Bethel or Anchorage, located 400 miles away. Community members have raised concerns that prolonged residence in larger urban areas could lead to a loss of the Yup'ik language and a diminished connection to traditional land-based subsistence hunting and fishing practices, which are foundational to Yup'ik culture.
Village Characteristics and Storm Details
Kwigillingok, home to approximately 400 people, is a remote village inaccessible by roads. Access is via bush planes landing on a dirt runway, and residents utilize all-terrain vehicles and snow machines for local transit along snow-crusted boardwalks.
While autumn flooding is a recurring event, local residents described the October storm as distinct. Darrel John, a lifelong Kwigillingok resident, noted the unprecedented speed of the water level rise. His home, constructed on pilings approximately 10 feet off the ground, withstood the storm. However, 45 other residences were carried away. The storm resulted in one fatality and two individuals remain missing within the community. John, whose family members were among those whose homes were displaced, supports village relocation for the safety of future generations.
Precedent and Challenges of Community Relocation
The issue of community relocation due to climate change impacts is global. In the U.S., previous cases involving the relocation of entire Indigenous communities have occurred. For example, the Isle de Jean Charles band of Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Tribe in Louisiana began an inland retreat a decade ago, with the island projected to be submerged by 2050. Similarly, the Alaska Native village of Newtok initiated a nine-mile relocation across the Ninglick River in the early 2000s due to unstable, waterlogged tundra.
These community-wide relocation efforts have presented challenges. The combined cost for the Isle de Jean Charles and Newtok relocations exceeded $198 million. The absence of a dedicated government agency for such relocations has complicated funding acquisition, leading to extended periods of uncertainty for affected communities. Despite improved safety, relocated residents have encountered other issues; in Louisiana, residents reported problems with new air conditioners and plumbing, while in Newtok, some new buildings have experienced deterioration attributed to design flaws, and water and sewer facilities have been inadequate, despite the relocation costing over $150 million for approximately 300 people.
Despite these previous experiences, Kwigillingok residents express a desire to relocate their village 27 miles northeast to higher ground. The recent typhoon event has reinforced this resolve, and residents hope for state and federal governmental support in this effort.
Official Response and Future Planning
State and federal officials currently prioritize disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for rebuilding damaged structures. They advocate for further discussion and study regarding the relocation issue. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy cited the complexity of ensuring a community's future preparedness, securing funding, and implementing such a process as reasons for requiring additional study.
However, a report from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, co-authored by the state two years prior, identified 144 communities across Alaska facing various climate change threats, including flooding, erosion, and thawing permafrost. The report estimated the cost of addressing these risks at approximately $4.3 billion (in 2020 dollars) over the next five decades and outlined priorities and implementation strategies.
Governor Dunleavy stated that further research is necessary and will commence after the storm recovery phase. He indicated that discussions on relocation are expected to unfold through the winter and spring, potentially requiring significant time to reach a resolution.
Cultural Implications
The duration of this discussion holds cultural significance for Kwigillingok residents. In villages like Kwigillingok, Yugtun remains the primary language, and subsistence hunting and fishing are integral to the local culture. Cultural anthropologist Ann Fienup-Riordan stated that sustained use within communities and homes is crucial for the language's survival. Prolonged evacuation to English-dominant cities may pose challenges to preserving the Yup'ik language.
Elders and community leaders in western Alaska assert that the federal government bears an obligation to assist Yup'ik villages requiring relocation. This perspective is partly based on the Bureau of Indian Affairs' role in establishing many current village sites in the 1950s by building schools and requiring families to consolidate around them. Fienup-Riordan noted that some sites were selected based on logistical factors, such as barge accessibility for lumber delivery.
Historically, many Yup'ik families practiced seasonal migration, allowing settlements to adapt to changes in river channels and coastlines. Fixed infrastructure and consolidated communities around schools altered this practice. If Kwigillingok's relocation plan proceeds, residents anticipate continuing to utilize the current village site for traditional subsistence activities, such as seal hunting and establishing fish camps.
As winter conditions have slowed recovery efforts, evacuated residents of Kwigillingok await decisions regarding their potential relocation to higher ground before future storm seasons.