AVCP chief executive presents on Arctic typhoons as Inuit assembly closes in Iqaluit

Typhoon Damage Before a Circumpolar Assembly

Storm damage on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta went before circumpolar Inuit leadership Saturday. Vivian Korthuis, chief executive officer of the Association of Village Council Presidents, presented on Arctic typhoons and their impacts on Arctic communities during the first keynote session of the final day of the 15th Inuit Circumpolar Council General Assembly in Iqaluit, Nunavut. The session focused on "Inuit Identity, Physical, Spiritual, and Mental Health and Wellbeing." It also included Anna Wangenheim on health in body, soul, and spirit and Aloupa Kulula on traditional medicine. AVCP represents 56 federally recognized tribes and 27,000 residents in 48 communities across 55,000 square miles of the delta.

The delta is a low-lying coastal floodplain where storm surge reaches as far as 23 miles inland, according to USDA Climate Hubs. Remnants of Typhoon Halong flooded villages up to 60 miles upriver on Oct. 12, 2025. More than 50 people were rescued in Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. Hundreds were displaced and at least one person died. Roughly 90% of homes in Kipnuk were destroyed or left uninhabitable. A scientific study found at least 10 of the 18 villages on the outer Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta will likely need to be relocated because of coastal erosion, permafrost thaw, sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion.

Village leaders in the region have described the trend in blunt terms. "We're not going to be well. Storms are going to get worse, and it's not going to be livable," Mike Williams Sr., a tribal leader from the Kuskokwim River village of Akiak, told Arctic Today.

The final day of the assembly focused on health, wellness, language preservation and the future of Inuit leadership across the Arctic. It began with the lighting of the Qulliq, a traditional seal oil lamp, by a Canadian Elder and her family. Responsibility for the ceremony rotated among participating countries through the week. Morning reports included the ICC Inuit Women's Summit Report, presented by Emma Lennert, and the Circumpolar Inuit Health Steering Committee Report, presented by Arnarak Bloch. After the keynote presentations, delegates shared perspectives on how the issues affect Inuit communities across the Arctic and explored opportunities for collaboration and resilience.