Mass Airlift Underway as Alaska Storm Wipes Out Villages

Military helicopters and large transports rescue Alaskans whose homes were destroyed.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, October 17, 2025 at 02:43 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Alaska Air National Guard C-17 Globemaster III aircrew, assigned to the 176th Wing, evacuate approximately 300 displaced western Alaska residents following Typhoon Halong, Oct. 15, 2025. [Credit: Alaska National Guard/Staff Sgt. Joseph Moon]

Key Takeaways:

Coastal Alaskan villages suffered catastrophic damage from a powerful storm (remnants of Typhoon Halong), washing away homes, causing at least one fatality, and rendering entire communities uninhabitable.
A "significant airlift" operation, utilizing military helicopters and C-17s, is evacuating hundreds of residents from the devastated, remote areas to shelters, including facilities over 500 miles away in Anchorage.
Emergency response efforts face immense logistical challenges due to the extreme remoteness and scale of destruction, with concerns about restoring essential services and the long-term habitability of the affected villages before winter.

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What has been called one of the “most significant airlifts in Alaskan history” is underway as military helicopters and C-17s are transporting hundreds of people from coastal villages left devastated by a powerful storm that swept through the area on October 12.

The storm, fueled by the remnants of Typhoon Halong, washed away homes in low-lying areas, some of them with people still inside. At least one person was killed, and two others are missing.