Alaska Man Captures Terrifying Moment His Home Floated Away During Typhoon Halong’s Remnants
KWIGILLINGOK, ALASKA — When powerful remnants of Typhoon Halong slammed into western Alaska this month, one man found himself adrift — inside his own home.
Steven Anaver, a resident of Kwigillingok, documented the terrifying moments as floodwaters ripped his house from its foundation and carried it across dark, stormy waters. The footage, shared with The Associated Press, captures both the chaos and the helplessness as his home floated away.
Home Torn From Foundation in the Night
The storm struck on October 12, bringing record-breaking water levels and hurricane-force winds that devastated coastal communities. More than 2,000 people were displaced, and at least one death and two disappearances have been reported.
Anaver said the flooding began rising around Saturday night, with the water climbing rapidly inside his home. By 3 a.m. Sunday, it had reached his knees — and moments later, his house began to lift off the ground and drift away.
“This was a big challenge for my anxiety,” Anaver recalled. “I kept calling my family.”
In the videos, plastic bags, furniture cushions, and boxes of blankets can be seen floating around him as the walls sway violently. The house creaked and tilted like a boat in open water.
“I Was Inches Away From Death”
Outside, waves slammed into the drifting home, and frigid wind blew through cracks in the walls. At one point, Anaver could hear loud booms as the structure collided with other debris and buildings swept up by the storm.
“Oh God,” he wrote in a Facebook post around 5:30 a.m., describing the moment his home struck something solid.
For hours, Anaver remained trapped inside, using his phone camera to navigate through the darkness. When the moonlight finally broke through, he realized he had floated nearly a mile from his original location.
A small hill and a wooden board eventually stopped the house from drifting further, leaving him stranded just feet from the riverbank.
At 7 a.m., as the waters finally began to recede, two neighbors in waders reached him and helped pull him to safety.
Alaska’s Worst Storm in Years
State officials called the flooding one of the worst weather disasters in Alaska’s recent history, rivaling the destruction caused by 2022’s Typhoon Merbok.
The combination of power outages, collapsed homes, and displaced families has led to one of the largest airlift operations in Alaska’s history to deliver aid and evacuate residents.
Anaver later posted a video of his ordeal online, writing:
“I was inches away from death. I escaped.”
His footage has since circulated widely on social media, serving as a haunting reminder of nature’s power — and the resilience of Alaska’s coastal communities.
For more real-life survival stories and extreme weather coverage, follow NapervilleLocal.com.
I’ve lived in Naperville long enough to see how quickly our community changes — from new developments downtown to sudden shifts in our Midwest weather. Reporting on Naperville news and daily forecasts gives me the chance to keep neighbors informed about what really matters. My goal is simple: deliver clear, timely updates so you always know what’s happening in our city and what to expect from the skies above.