Local officials are continuing to search for two people missing from a Western Alaska village after remnants of Typhoon Halong left one dead and much of the region devastated by high winds and flooding.
However, large-scale search and rescue efforts are largely on hold pending new information.
The U.S. Coast Guard, Alaska State Troopers and Alaska National Guard said they were unable to locate a floating house and its occupants before they suspended their active search Monday evening.
The search covered dozens of square miles around the village of Kwigillingok using helicopters, planes, drones and more, according to Coast Guard Capt. Christopher Culpepper.
“Suspending an active search is always a tough decision to make, and it is especially difficult in this situation where the Kwigillingok community is already suffering so much,” he said.
Alaska State Troopers identified the missing people as 71-year-old Vernon Pavil and 41-year-old Chester Kashatok and said they had located the body of 67-year-old Ella Mae Kashatok. All three were residents of the hard-hit village of Kwigillingok and members of the same family.
Brea Paul, a court administrator in Kwigillingok, said in an interview that she knew the family well. She saw their house floating off its foundation as floodwaters rose on Sunday.
“They were the most kindest people I’ve ever met. They didn’t have much, but they always, always had a positive mindset and they always greeted anyone — they welcomed everyone to their home," Paul said. "They deserve to be searched (for). Their names deserve to be heard."
Village public safety officers with the Association of Village Council Presidents and volunteers are continuing to look for the two men, the organization said in a post on social media.
“Teams continue operations with drag bars, sonar equipment, and coordinated volunteer efforts,” the group said. “Our commitment to this mission is unwavering: no one is giving up.”
All are accounted for in Kipnuk, another community that saw widespread devastation, troopers said.
Hundreds of people remain sheltered in village schools scattered throughout the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. State officials say they’re rushing aid to the region and working to evacuate residents of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok.
KYUK's Evan Erickson contributed reporting.
