A record storm caused extensive flooding in Kotzebue, Alaska, submerging the town and prompting community concern and relief efforts.

A severe fall storm caused significant damage in Kotzebue, Alaska, with high winds and rising water levels leading to airport inaccessibility, disrupted flights, and emergency declarations.

A historically powerful storm slammed into Western Alaska Friday night and into Saturday, bringing major flooding and high winds to a huge swath of coastal communities. By Saturday evening, the state said it had received no reports of injuries or deaths related to the storm. But damage had torn across hundreds of miles of Alaska’s coastline impacting communities all along the way. Alaskans described water flooding homes and roads. Wind tore off roofs. Houses floated off their foundations. Boats sank.

High winds that pushed water high up on south facing shores of the Seward Peninsula cause shoreline erosion on the Chukchi Sea coast of Shishmaref, last week.