Western Alaska is in the midst of a massive recovery effort after back-to-back storms—including the devastating ex-Typhoon Halong—wreaked havoc across coastal villages, displaced thousands, and left at least one person dead. As of Friday, October 24, 2025, the State of Alaska had begun distributing over $217,000 in disaster relief payments to residents affected by the storm, according to the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The state has received more than 940 applications for individual assistance, and the application window remains open through November 9.
The scale of the disaster is hard to overstate. According to the Associated Press, some 2,000 residents were forced to leave their homes as floodwaters and wind battered the region. As of Thursday night, 302 evacuees were still staying in emergency shelters in Anchorage—178 at the Egan Center and another 124 at the Alaska Airlines Center. Many had to leave so quickly they lost identification and essential documents. To help, the Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Health set up booths at evacuation shelters to assist with replacements, while the Association of Village Council Presidents offered tribal IDs. State caseworkers and a Yup’ik-speaking public notary have been on hand to help evacuees with documentation hurdles.
For families facing the long road to recovery, the state’s individual assistance program offers up to $21,250 for home repairs and another $21,250 for other needs, including damage to vehicles, essential personal property, and medical, dental, or funeral costs directly related to the disaster. Renters can apply for up to three months of housing assistance, while homeowners are eligible for up to 18 months. The goal, officials say, is to provide a lifeline to those who need it most—and quickly.
In a move to ease bureaucratic headaches, Governor Mike Dunleavy amended the state’s disaster declaration on Friday to waive state fees for replacing lost documents like licenses and vehicle registrations. Late fees for state-administered loan and payment programs have also been suspended. These changes, the governor’s office said, are designed to remove barriers for storm survivors seeking to rebuild their lives.
The federal response followed suit, though not without controversy. On Wednesday, October 22, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Alaska, as well as for Nebraska, North Dakota, and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota. The decision authorized an immediate $25 million in federal aid for Alaska’s recovery efforts and approved a 100% cost share of disaster-related expenses for 90 days. The federal package includes up to $42,500 for home repairs and another $42,500 for other essential items. The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest loans to small businesses, non-profits, and individuals to help cover losses not handled by insurance. Applications for federal assistance can be submitted via the FEMA website or app, but applicants must file a claim and undergo a FEMA inspection to qualify.
According to the Associated Press, Trump’s disaster declaration approvals have mostly fallen along party lines this year, a trend that’s drawn both praise and criticism. In a social media post, Trump touted his electoral success in Alaska and called it his “honor” to deliver for the state. Yet, requests from Vermont, Illinois, and Maryland were denied—despite Maryland’s appeal and the state’s claim that it met all federal criteria, including $33.7 million in damage from May flooding. Maryland Governor Wes Moore called the denial “deeply frustrating,” arguing, “President Trump and his Administration have politicized disaster relief, and our communities are the ones who will pay the price.”
Trump’s administration has also taken longer to approve disaster declarations than any previous administration, according to an AP analysis. While he has floated the idea of “phasing out” FEMA, the current system relies on states to lead disaster response, with federal aid stepping in when the scale exceeds local capacity. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the administration’s approach, saying, “President Trump provides a more thorough review of disaster declaration requests than any Administration has before him,” and emphasized that federal dollars are meant to supplement—not substitute—state efforts.
The impact of these decisions is felt most acutely in small, rural communities. For example, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota was approved for both public and individual assistance after a June storm felled thousands of trees across its reservation. Before the federal approval, the tribe had spent $1.5 million of its own funds to clear debris and keep contractors paid. Duane Oothoudt, emergency operations manager for the Leech Lake Police Department, told AP, “There’s a lot of work to do. People were hurt by the storm.” The tribe’s situation underscores how delays or denials in federal aid can leave communities scrambling to cover immediate needs with limited reserves.
In Alaska, the outpouring of support from individuals, businesses, and organizations has been remarkable. The Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund has raised $2.5 million so far, with an additional $1.5 million pledged by corporate donors, according to Ashley Ellingson, director of communications with the Alaska Community Foundation. An advisory committee of regional and state leaders meets at least weekly to consider requests and allocate funding. Approximately $575,000 has already been distributed to five organizations serving the hardest-hit communities, including the Association of Village Council Presidents, the Maniilaq Association, and the tribal councils of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, as well as the Alaska Native Heritage Center. “Local organizations can distribute to individuals and families affected the most,” Ellingson said. “That ensures funding goes to immediate needs.”
For those still waiting in shelters or struggling to navigate the maze of paperwork and inspections, the process can feel endless. Not knowing whether public assistance is coming can delay crucial repairs and leave survivors without a clear path forward. For small towns and tribal communities, the cost of rebuilding roads, homes, and infrastructure often far exceeds their annual budgets. As Eric Forand, Vermont’s emergency management director, put it after his state’s disaster request was denied, “It’s well over the annual budget or two years’ budget (of some towns), to fix those roads.”
Yet amid the frustration and uncertainty, the resilience of Western Alaska’s residents shines through. With state and federal aid now flowing, and local organizations mobilizing to meet immediate needs, the region is slowly piecing itself back together. The recovery will take time—perhaps months or even years—but the combined efforts of government, tribal leaders, and grassroots donors offer hope that these communities will not be left behind.
