ARC: 114 homes damaged

At least 114 houses were either completely destroyed or sustained major and minor damage due to the onslaught of Typhoon Nabi, the American Red Cross-CNMI chapter reported yesterday.

Some 70 to 80 percent of Saipan’s agricultural crops were also destroyed, according to a Northern Marianas College–Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service consultant.

ARC executive director John Hirsh said 37 homes have become unlivable because they were either completely destroyed or severely damaged. Most of the damaged houses are on Saipan.

Hirsh reported this after dispatching several teams of volunteers who conducted damage assessments on Saipan, Tinian and Rota starting Thursday morning.

Yesterday, over a hundred people still remained at emergency shelters.

On Saipan, the typhoon wrecked or damaged some 105 dwellings, according to Hirsh. A total of 28 houses—two of them completely destroyed and 26 others sustaining major damage—have become unlivable, displacing scores of residents.

Hirsh said 77 other houses on Saipan sustained minor damage, most of them due to flood that soaked furniture, clothing and other belongings. Other houses had damaged roofs and windows.

On Tinian, the typhoon destroyed three buildings and severely wrecked six others, the Red Cross official said. No houses were destroyed on Rota.

Hirsh said the Red Cross’ caseworkers started distributing vouchers yesterday to residents whose houses were either completely or severely destroyed. The vouchers could be used to buy food, clothes, beddings and other emergency needs.

The Red Cross’ volunteers would start distributing cleaning and similar supplies to residents whose houses sustained minor damage on Sunday, according to Hirsh.

“We thank the community for their patience. We’re working as fast as we can,” the Red Cross official said. He also lauded the efforts of Red Cross’ volunteers.

Hirsh said the Red Cross would start providing meals to evacuees at emergency shelters last night. He said they would provide evacuees three meals daily—breakfast, lunch and dinner—for at least the next seven days.

About a hundred residents were still at the Gilbert C. Ada gymnasium last night. At least eight others have been staying at the Tanapag Youth Center.

AGRI SECTOR SUSTAINS MAJOR DAMAGE

NMC-CREES agricultural consultant Isidoro Cabrera said the agricultural crops that sustained major damage include vegetable crops and root crops.

Cabrera said NMC-CREES is currently working with the Division of Agriculture to officially determine damage costs. The survey started yesterday. There are four teams currently conducting the survey across the island of Saipan. Cabrera said the teams would start from the southern and western side of the island. The survey teams aim to complete the survey by Tuesday next week.

“The teams will have its individual assessment of the damage from farm to farm,” said Cabrera, adding that the survey team will provide a complete report next week.

Agricultural damage during last year’s Typhoon Chaba reached over $600,000.