Alaska works to rescue storm victims by helicopter and plane in historic airlift

 By The Associated Press

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — One of the most significant airlifts in Alaskan history is underway by helicopter and military transport plane, moving hundreds of people from coastal villages ravaged by high surf and strong winds from the remnants of Typhoon Halong last weekend.

The storm brought record high water to two low-lying Alaska Native communities and washed away homes, some with people inside. At least one person was killed and two are missing. Makeshift shelters were quickly established and swelled to hold about 1,500 people, an extraordinary number in a sparsely populated region where communities are reachable only by air or water this time of year.

The remoteness and scale of the destruction created challenges for getting resources in place. Damage assessments have been trickling in as responders have shifted from initial search-and-rescue operations to trying to stabilize or restore basic services.

The communities of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok near the Bering Sea saw water levels more than 6 feet (1.8 meters) above the highest normal tide line. Some 121 homes were destroyed in Kipnuk, a village of about 700 people

Alaska Air National Guard rescue personnel conduct a search and rescue mission in Kipnuk, Alaska, on Oct. 13,.Defense Visual Information Distribution Service via AP

Leaders asked the state to evacuate the more than 1,000 residents from those villages, said Jeremy Zidek, a spokesperson with the state emergency management office.

About 300 evacuees were brought to Anchorage on Wednesday, about 500 miles (805 kilometers) east of the battered coastal villages, according to the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. People were being taken to the Alaska Airlines Center, a sports and events complex with capacity for about 400, Zidek said