Recovery efforts underway

More than 200 houses in the CNMI damaged or destroyed. The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. and the departments of Public Health and Public Works sustaining the most damage among government agencies. Some 197 people displaced. These were just some of the preliminary results of assessments made in the wake of Typhoon Tingting, whose strong winds and record-breaking rainfall battered the Northern Marianas Monday.

According to CUC chairman Herman P. Sablan, Saipan sustained the brunt of the typhoon’s wrath, leaving no major damage on utilities on Tinian and Rota.

On Saipan, three houses were destroyed while 47 others sustained major damage, Emergency Management Office director Rudolfo Pua said. Some 152 other houses incurred minor damage, he added.

Pua also reported that the typhoon left two houses destroyed and 10 others with major damage on Tinian, while no similar occurrence has been reported so far on Rota.

The EMO director noted the possibility that the figures could even increase, as local and federal officials are just in the preliminary stage of conducting an assessment of typhoon-related damages.

As of yesterday, Pua said 24 people remained temporarily housed at the Marianas High School, which the government has designated as the centralized evacuation center.

During the onslaught of the typhoon, at least 197 people—including 91 children—stayed at seven public schools that the government designated as shelters prior to centralizing evacuations at MHS. On Tuesday, the number of evacuees went down to 16.

EMO advised those seeking shelter to register and look for Jose Borja at the MHS’ administration office. Those who need transportation assistance may call 664-3800, 3801 and 3802.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said the extensive damage sustained by DPH, DPW and CUC may qualify them for federal assistance.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta had earlier declared a state of emergency for all the islands affected by the disaster. The declaration empowers the governor to identify and mobilize resources necessary to maintain essential public services and rehabilitate the affected islands, including Agrihan and Pagan.

The CNMI government is coordinating assessment work with the FEMA for a joint preliminary damage assessment that would determine the types of disaster assistance the CNMI could avail of, as well as estimate the amount of damage caused by the typhoon.

Based on FEMA’s own initial assessment, massive repair work is needed by various government agencies severely hit during the three-day nonstop rain.

Five wards at the Commonwealth Health Center are now inoperable after the typhoon damaged 10 of the hospital’s air conditioning units. DPH’s medical supply medical building in Lower Base was also flooded and needs immediate repairs.

According to press secretary Peter Callaghan, critical medical supplies were immediately transported to DPH for safekeeping. He said the air conditioning units at the pediatric and psychology wards and the operating room were all damaged.

At the CUC side, at least 50 poles went down and several transmitters were damaged while DPW reported extensive road damage that need immediate repairs.

CUC’s Sablan said that while the typhoon caused little damage on utilities on Tinian and Rota, power restoration on Saipan remains a problem.

“Rota and Tinian are good. Their power is up. The problem is Saipan. It has plenty of debris. CUC’s transformers were hit. We need to replace several of them,” Sablan said.

He said he has yet to receive a damage assessment report from the CUC comptroller. But initial assessment showed that CUC’s power distribution system sustained major damage.

“That’s because several trees fell and damaged our transformers and electric poles, causing power outages,” he said.

Meantime, he said that many government agencies continue to lack power and water supply up to now.

Recovery efforts

“[But] we’re making progress. Roughly 15 percent of the island needs to be restored back to the system,” Sablan said.

He said CUC personnel have been working round the clock to restore utility services.

Likewise, Marianas Cable Vision general manager Steve Coleman said the company is working toward restoring cable TV service across the island.

Coleman, however, said the MCV crew has yet to inspect the entire cable system to pinpoint any damage. He said MCV could not immediately ascertain the full extent of cable service interruptions until the island’s power is fully restored.

“We’re taking phone calls and we are responding to them as quickly as possible,” Coleman said, disclosing that MCV has been receiving “a couple hundred” phone calls requesting for cable service and picture quality restoration since Tuesday.

DPW, for its part, continues with its cleanup efforts. Thousands of garbage bags lined Beach Road early Tuesday morning, as the department’s employees picked up after the mess from Typhoon Tingting.

The nine DPW divisions, along with summer training children from the Workforce Investment Agency and the Department of Lands and Natural Resources, worked together to clear the Beach Road pathway.

Still, DPW said it needs the help of the community.

“Can all the construction workers and everyone else please come and help us? We’re not asking for the whole day, at least put in four hours of your day to help. If we all help, this will be done quickly,” said Arthur Camacho, CIP coordinator for DPW.

Callaghan said FEMA officials headed by Hawaii Region 9 Pacific Area officer Sean Dowling and FEMA-Guam officers Ray Jualian and Edward Palacios have met with the EMO and members of the CNMI Response Action Committee to discuss preliminary reports on Tingting’s onslaught.

The damage assessment is needed to determine if the CNMI can qualify for federal assistance. Callaghan explained that based on the category of assessment, FEMA can extend help to individuals and businesses affected by the typhoon.

Callaghan said that, if preliminary assessment determines that the CNMI can be accorded federal assistance, it is possible that expenses incurred would be split by the CNMI and the U.S. governments.

“It is possible that it could be waived if the governor would request for it,” he added.

USGS going to Anatahan

Personnel from the U.S. Geological Survey are headed to Anatahan to inspect the damaged seismic station for possible repair, EMO’s Pua said.

As of yesterday, the EMO continued facing a blank wall on possible changes with the volcanic activity on Anatahan.

None of the two seismic stations jointly installed by the EMO and the USGS remain functional, after Tingting damaged one of the equipment Monday.

The EMO stressed that the volcanic activity could escalate anytime with little or no warning, advising aircraft to refrain from the vicinity.

“Aircraft should pass upwind of Anatahan or farther than 30 km downwind from the island and exercise due caution within 30-50 km of Anatahan,” the EMO said, stressing also that the off-limits declaration for the island remains in effect. (John Ravelo, Edith G. Alejandro, Liberty Dones and Cassie Dlg Fejeran)