![Amazon partners with the Red Cross to bring much-needed supplies to storm-ravaged western Alaska villages.[Courtesy: Amazon]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/10/Alaska-Flood-Relief_1.jpeg)
You can get pretty much anything from Amazon, and the residents of the villages in western Alaska devastated by the recent typhoon pretty much need everything.
So it makes sense that the Amazon Disaster Relief recently coordinated its first disaster response flight to the Last Frontier, bringing thousands of pounds of emergency supplies via Amazon Air to the Red Cross in Anchorage. The first shipment arrived on Sunday, October 19.
The cargo jet was filled with bottles, diapers, pack-and-plays, and medical mobility aids such as canes and walkers, as so many people lost everything and were lucky to escape with their lives when the remnants of Typhoon Halong washed away several coastal villages. State officials confirm some 49 villages were impacted and 1,500 people were evacuated, many of them airlifted to temporary shelters hundreds of miles away.
- READ MORE: Mass Airlift Underway as Alaska Storm Wipes Out Villages
- READ MORE: Alaska Mobilizes Resources After Powerful Storm Batters Western Coast
According to an Amazon blog, the retail giant operated the Amazon Disaster Relief in partnership with nonprofits like the Red Cross and first responders. Amazon’s network and delivery and logistics expertise come in handy when disaster strikes and supplies need to get someplace quickly.
Amazon operated 15 disaster relief hubs globally. Each hub is located near disaster-prone areas and pre-stocked with essential supplies.
“Our response reflects what we’ve learned through years of disaster relief work: Speed and partnership save lives,” said Abe Diaz, head of Amazon’s Disaster Relief program. “That’s exactly what our teams did alongside the American Red Cross to deliver this critical AmazonAir flight to Alaska and bring essential supplies to those who need them most.”
Amazon has been working with the Red Cross for more than seven years.
Other equipment shipped included coffee makers, towels, and box fans, which will be used to make life more comfortable for the evacuees who are in shelters and facing long-term displacement from their homes.
Alaska officials have stated that some of the remote villages will be unlivable for some time as they lack power, water, and food access. The infrastructure, including cell phone service, was disrupted, and many homes were swept away by the rising water. Authorities are still trying to determine how many people were killed and how many are missing.
Since 2017, Amazon has donated and delivered more than 26 million relief items to support those impacted by more than 200 disasters worldwide
