US senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska warned over the weekend that it could take years for some of her state's communities to recover after they were devastated by a powerful storm recently.
Speaking at the Alaska Federation of Natives' annual convention Saturday, the Republican shared her experience visiting Kipnuk, a village where officials estimate 90% of structures were destroyed amid flooding and other extreme conditions, describing the widespread devastation and "long road" ahead for rebuilding.
"It's going to take years to recover from the disaster of what we have seen with this storm," she said. Murkowski added, "We have to come together in times of tragedy and disasters - we know that.
"After the flood waters recede, and after the damage to the homes and the fish camp is calculated, there's so much work that remains, and so much healing that is needed."
Murkowski's remarks came after the remnants of Typhoon Halong on the weekend of 11 October battered remote communities in south-west Alaska with strong winds, rain, record-breaking storm surges and flooding.
More than 1,500 people were displaced, and homes were inundated and swept away. At least one person was killed, and two others remained missing heading into Monday. The US Coast Guard has rescued dozens from their homes.
On 16 October, Mike Dunleavy, Alaska's governor, said it could take "upwards of 18 months" before many residents would be able to return to their homes and communities.
In a letter to Donald Trump, Dunleavy requested that the president declare a major disaster in the state, which would unlock federal resources.
"Due to the time, space, distance, geography and weather in the affected areas, it is likely that many survivors will be unable to return to their communities this winter," he wrote.
"Agencies are prioritizing rapid repairs," he added. "But it is likely that some damaged communities will not be viable to support winter occupancy, in America's harshest climate in the US Arctic."
Murkowski and two more members of Alaska's congressional delegation - US senator Dan Sullivan and House representative Nick Begich - sent a letter urging Trump to approve Dunleavy's request.
"The scale of this disaster surpasses the state's ability and capacity to respond without federal support," they wrote. "With winter fast approaching, and transportation and broadband connectivity limited, there is an urgent need for federal aid to repair housing, restore utilities, and secure heating fuel before severe winter conditions set in."
The Alaska national guard was activated, and as of Sunday, it had airlifted "633 survivors from Bethel to Anchorage".
Alaska's state emergency operations center said on Sunday that "large scale evacuations are complete; additional small-scale evacuations will occur as needed".
The center said on Sunday that it remains at the state's highest level of activation.
"Sheltering operations are continuing in Bethel, Anchorage, and other communities," the center said, adding that it "continues to deploy personnel and supplies to impacted communities for emergency home and infrastructure repair".
In May, the Trump administration canceled a $20m US Environmental Protection Agency grant to Kipnuk intended to prevent coastal erosion and protect against flooding.
A statement by the Trump administration to the Anchorage Daily News defended the grant cancelation, claiming without elaborating that the money would have been wasted.
Murkowski has also sought to defend the Trump administration over the grant cancelation, arguing that the money would not have arrived in time to prevent the damage from the recent storm, as the Daily News noted.
The senator did add that the recent devastation underscores the importance of funding meant to prevent damage from future storms.