A Yup'ik community near the Bering Sea in southwest Alaska was spared the widespread devastation other communities experienced from the remnants of Typhoon Halong earlier this month. But it suffered a different kind of blow: the lashing winds and storm surge devoured dozens of feet of shoreline, disrupting a culturally significant archaeological site and washing away possibly thousands of unearthed artifacts. About 1,000 pieces, including wooden masks and tools, were recovered in Quinhagak after the storm hit. But archaeologist Rick Knecht says many more pieces — perhaps up to 100,000 — were left scattered. Freezing temperatures and ice have settled into the region, stalling immediate efforts to find and recover more artifacts.
