Evan Erickson

The tribe originally applied for the declaration in January, several months after an October 2025 storm destroyed an estimated 90% of homes and led to the mass evacuation of nearly all of the community's roughly 1,000 residents.

KYUK's Evan Erickson spoke with Northern Journal reporter Nat Herz, who traveled to Hooper Bay as part of a broader look at what leaders describe as an unfolding crisis that threatens barge-dependent communities in Western Alaska.

The increase would have been limited to disaster relief during the first 90 days after the storms. It would have covered the bulk of costs related to debris removal and emergency protective measures, costs that the state says reached $20 million in the first weeks after ex-typhoon Halong.

The project, made possible with the support of the Indian Health Service, will make the 49,000-square-foot facility more than one and half times larger. It will double the number of available beds, from 18 to 36.

Alaska has seen skyrocketing gas prices driven by the war in Iran. But communities in the western part of the state that have been burning last year's fuel are bracing for their own crisis as they anticipate what could be an even more drastic spike with the arrival of the first barges of the spring.

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and chair U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski visited Bethel this week to hear directly from tribal leaders and agency heads about the federal government's response to ex-typhoon Halong and the path forward. Testimony showed that the need for better planning and cooperation between tribes and agencies is immediate.

The lion's share of the funding, $16 million, is going to the coastal village of Chefornak to address the impacts of severe erosion, permafrost thaw, and failing infrastructure. Another $4 million is being used to purchase essential fuel and supplies for more than a dozen Alaska Native communities impacted by a historically cold winter.

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and chair Sen. Lisa Murkowski will appear in person at the YKHC hospital on May 6 to hear from leaders and community members about disaster response, mitigation, resilience, and relocation programs serving tribal communities. The hearing is open to the public.

This year's festival brought three packed days of performances and events to the Bethel Regional High School gymnasium. Once again, it showed that the beating of traditional frame drums resonates with Elders and young alike.

More than 92% of adult tribal members that the tribe was able to contact by phone in recent weeks voted to relocate. Of two potential relocation sites located between Kipnuk and Chefornak, two-thirds said they'd prefer an option closer to the historical settlement of Cicing.