Flooding in Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, Napakiak, and other communities around Western Alaska has displaced over 1,000 people from their homes. First responders from the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Troopers and the U.S. Coast Guard rescued 51 people on Sunday, Oct. 12. A woman from Kwigillingok died in the flood. Authorities said yesterday that two other Kwigillingok residents are still missing. The flooding originated from Typhoon Halong which hit Japan on Oct. 9.
Yesterday, Oct. 13, Senate President Gary Stevens (R-Kodiak) issued the following statement regarding the terrible flooding:
“The images and reports coming from Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, Napakiak, and all the communities around Western Alaska are deeply concerning. Our thoughts are with the families who have been displaced, those injured, and the communities working tirelessly to recover from this unprecedented storm.
“The Senate Majority commends the first responders, the Alaska National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, and local leaders who have rescued dozens of residents, helped thousands of displaced Alaskans, and continue to work under extremely dangerous conditions.
“The State of Alaska has mobilized all available resources to provide emergency relief, shelter, and essential supplies to those affected. As recovery efforts continue, the state, along with the federal government and all Alaskans, will continue to coordinate in support of these communities.
“The path for Western Alaska to recover will be long and will require a lot of work. We encourage all Alaskans to assist through volunteer support, donations, or other means as we continue to go through this storm. As Alaskans always do in times of adversity, we pull together and help our neighbors.”
Great article, Natalie–90% of it is cutting and pasting Senator Gary Steven’s statement. No mention of how to contribute to relief efforts, no photos or interviews with people living in the region. I bet you were all for defunding NPR, right? You know, the media group with reporters in the region doing real journalism. MRAK is apparently even more of an empty shell these days. Alaska Public Media and the Alaska Beacon have substantially more detailed and insightful articles about this disaster for folks who actually want to know what happened and what the region is facing.
NPR “the media group with reporters in the region doing real journalism”? WTF? You make me laugh!
Exactly!
NPR wouldn’t know “Real journalism”, if it walked up and slapped them in the face. Thanks for the laugh, that was a good one.
Well Painful Truth, since you know so much about this disaster, perhaps you can enlighten the unwashed masses on how they can provide support to the ailing communities.
Perhaps it is not really something you care about and you are simply here to attack some nebulous entity to give your ego a few strokes.
To each their own I suppose.
Good talk.
Alaska beacon. A liberal funded non Alaska based company using reporters from California who want Ak to look like them. Ok, that’s credible. The liberal green smell that started coming here 25+ years ago thinks they are Alaskan. What they are is largely godless socialists/Marxists who would burn the Constitution if they could. Go back to the liberal cesspool you crawled out of please.
Please post a list of items needed for the Alaskans affected. Lynden Air Freight will ship items free of charge if boxed.
From Lynden’s Alaska Disaster Relief Page.
Requested supplies currently include:
New bedding
New clothing (Adult and Youth): hats, socks, gloves, underwear, snowpants, jackets
New baby/toddler items: onesies, socks, pants, baby bunting, winter wear, hats, gloves, swaddles, blankets, diaper rash cream
Baby formula – Similac Sensitive and Similac Advanced preferred
Diapers (newborn – 5T) and baby wipes
Phone chargers
Toilet paper
Bottled water
Personal toiletries for men and women
General medical supplies e.g. Tylenol, Ibuprofen, band-aids
Nonperishable food
Clorox wipes
Headlamps
Flat cardboard boxes
Packing totes
Packing tape/duct tape
Large garbage bags
Backpacks
Duffel bags
Senate President Gary Stevens wrote the following: ““The State of Alaska has mobilized all available resources to provide emergency relief, shelter, and essential supplies to those affected. As recovery efforts continue, the state, along with the federal government and all Alaskans, will continue to coordinate in support of these communities.”
The more resources available to residents in that part of the state, the less resources the state needs to supply. Imagine the difference a full, statutory PFD would make had Stevens and his co-conspirators seen fit to pay it to citizens rather than public employee unions. Cheers –
This is a tragedy, and I pray for those affected by it but, now we must look at the big picture.
Are we going to let communities rebuild in the same areas that are inevitably going to get impacted again? Are the government and native corporations going to dump money down the drain to try to rebuild the sandbars and walkways that are just temporary? This is going to happen again and it’s not climate change. Its basic erosion when you build on stilts on an unstable soil near a water source.
And don’t start on the notion that this is our ancestral land, we used to be nomadic. The elders used to move to better living areas because of these events. We used to follow the game and fish. Get smart people.
And by the way, I am native.
Thank you for an excellent comment. That’s the first thing I thought about–the nomadic nature of native people. I am a very stubborn person so I have a certain sense of compassion for the “This is my home and I’m not moving” mindset, but at some point the people are going to have to adjust their thinking.
These small units of people should be moved to new homes around Bethel. Schools, power plants, groceries, fuel would all be less expensive for the State of Alaska. Now would be a good time, since the rebuilding would be exponentially cheaper. Immediate relief can be donated to include canned food, clothing, toiletries, and boots. Lynden has stated they will haul it out there at their expense if it comes to them packaged for easy handling.
Location location location.
This region floods to this level every 15 years.
The return interval for Fall typhoon events is about the same. Why rebuild there again and again?
It is high time Alaskans take responsibility for residing in areas prone to disaster. Any and every disaster. Enough.
Pay your way.
Just like Juneau. Time to move.