Boots on the Ground in the Aftermath of Typhoon Merbok

On September 17, 2022, Typhoon Merbok tore through Western Alaska, bringing 50-foot waves, record-high flooding, and hurricane-force winds, which caused destruction and loss in several of the communities we serve. Newtok lost an estimated 100 feet of shoreline due to flooding. Fish camps and equipment were washed away during a key subsistence season, as families were preparing for winter. CVRF immediately went to work lining up partners to deliver aid by air, assigning employees in the region to assess damage and make repairs, briefing the Alaska Congressional Delegation, and soliciting donations from within the fishing industry.

For CVRF Regional Affairs Manager FLORENCE KARGI, whose hometown is Hooper Bay, procuring and delivering aid was personal. She coordinated with partners like Bethel Community Services Foundation and Calista Corporation to procure more than 4,700 pounds of materials like bottled water, toilet paper, and dry goods for delivery to Hooper Bay (one of the hardest hit communities), as well as a series of key shipments to Newtok and Chevak.

Florence and the team at CVRF enlisted the help of Alaska-based transporters such as Alaska Airlines and Northern Air Cargo, to move the goods from Anchorage to Bethel followed by Grant Air and Ryan Air for the second leg to deliver the goods to respective communities.

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