Documenting an Alaska Village, Before and After the Storm That Destroyed It

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 5 min read 100% complete by Kyle HopkinsJanuary 24, 2026 at 11:00 AM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

The Anchorage Daily News documented the Alaska Native village of Kipnuk before and after Typhoon Halong devastated it in late 2023. The storm, which originated as a tropical storm near Japan, flooded Kipnuk and the nearby village of Kwigillingok, destroying homes and causing fatalities. A reporter and photojournalist had visited Kipnuk prior to the storm to cover a separate story about a local man's murder case. The photojournalist returned to document the evacuation and aftermath, highlighting the vulnerability of Alaska's coastal villages to climate change. The event has reignited concerns about the future of these communities, including the potential for climate refugees and the question of whether to rebuild damaged villages.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Texas 30% New York 30% Newtok 40% Japan 40% Anchorage Daily News 50% Emily Schwing 50% Kwigillingok 50% Marc Lester ×260% Joann Carl ×370% Kipnuk ×480% Typhoon Halong ×290% Alaska ×690%

Keywords

alaska village 90% kipnuk 90% typhoon halong 80% climate change 70% climate refugees 60% coastal villages 60% storm surge 50% natural disaster 50% remote village 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

ProPublica

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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alaska village kipnuk typhoon halong climate change climate refugees coastal villages storm surge natural disaster remote village

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