The Alaska Federation of Natives’ annual convention comes at a poignant time for the state, as more than 1,500 predominantly Alaska Native people living in western Alaska were displaced by devastating flooding caused by Typhoon Halong. Many of the stories emerging from the devastation are like that of Kipnuk resident Anna Smith, who told the Anchorage Daily News that she and her kids drifted miles downriver in their house after it separated from its foundation. The devastation has left many with little choice, forcing them to join one of the several massive evacuation flights out of their community to Anchorage, Fairbanks and Bethel.
“They just told me it’s best to go to Anchorage right now, so we’re going,” Smith said, saying that she doesn’t know how long she’ll be away or when and if her home might be repaired.
Throughout the convention, the calls for money and donations have been met with overwhelming generosity, but it’s readily apparent that the scope and scale of the devastation are enormous and will be long-lasting. With a fast-closing door before winter weather sets in and the existing logistical challenges of rebuilding communities off the state’s road system, it’s likely that many will spend the next months and more away from home, but just what that will look like is unclear…