Chaba wrecks 1,168 homes

Hundreds of residents remain homeless after Supertyphoon Chaba’s strong winds and accompanying rains blew away roofs and flooded homes, leaving more than a thousand houses destroyed or significantly damaged.

As of yesterday, the CNMI Emergency Operations Center reported that some 949 evacuees remained at government shelters on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

Initial assessment placed the number of destroyed houses at 299—198 on Saipan, 73 on Tinian, and 28 on Rota. The number of houses that sustained major damage reached 869—569 on Saipan, 178 on Tinian, and 122 on Rota. The findings placed the total number of houses that were either destroyed or significantly damaged at 1,168.

The number may still rise, as the EOC disclosed that assessments were ongoing.

EOC information and planning section chief Tony Calvo said evacuations to emergency shelters were still ongoing yesterday, two days after Chaba unleashed its fury on the islands.

The number of evacuees at government shelters remained at 949. Calvo said 785 persons were staying at 10 shelters on Saipan. A total of 111 evacuees remained at Rota’s two shelters, while 53 were at a shelter on Tinian.

“Most shelters are at maximum capacity. Some shelters are exceeding capacity level [such] that uncertified rooms are being opened to accommodate them,” Calvo said.

Calvo said authorities are evaluating three facilities on Saipan—the Kagman Community Center, the Ada Gymnasium, and the Northern Marianas College gymnasium—as possible long-term shelters to temporarily house evacuees who would be relocated from the schools possibly beginning tomorrow.

The Public School System had planned on resuming classes in public schools this week and has begun assessing classrooms’ readiness. Yesterday, classes resumed at the Tinian High School, while the EOC disclosed the readiness of the Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School and the Saipan Southern High School for resumption of classes.

Most schools that are currently being used as temporary shelters do not have power and water, according to the EOC. The NMC Lab School, meanwhile, had cancelled its classes for the entire week, setting their resumption on Monday.

ROTA STILL IN DARKNESS

Rota, severely battered by the supertyphoon for several hours, still has no electrical power generated by the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.

The EOC said Rota’s generator would have to be dried out. The EOC said transmission lines would have to assessed and repaired before actual power restoration work could begin. Pre-restoration work may last up to three days pending the acquisition of heat lamps.

The EOC said, though, that 60-70 percent of Rota’s power distribution network remained intact. Private hotel Rota Resort can supply parts of Rota with power.

“On Rota, potential medium-term concern is that gravity-fed water systems may not be recharged due to the loss of power for pumps,” Calvo said. Authorities have advised the island’s residents to boil water before using them. Approximately 25 percent of the island’s water supply has been restored.

Meanwhile, Mobil Oil Mariana Islands Inc. said coastal tanker Golden Micronesia would arrive at the Rota Harbor possibly tomorrow to supply fuel.

“In addition, Mobil has reserved gasoline and diesel fuel [on] Rota and Tinian for the government’s emergency needs to ensure recovery efforts are not restricted,” said Cecile Bamba Suda, Mobil’s public relations manager.

Mobil issued the statement following Mayor Benjamin Manglona’s call for private companies to address Rota’s looming fuel and food shortage, saying that current supplies were already running low.

Suda said Rota’s fuel supply would be sufficient to cover demand until the scheduled arrival of the coastal tanker tomorrow.

On Tinian, she said the tanker might arrive on Sunday, so long as it could enter Tinian’s Harbor. As of yesterday, however, the EOC said all harbors on the islands remained closed pending the completion of inspections.

Power supply on Saipan has been 85-percent restored, while Tinian has achieved about 90-percent power restoration. Water supply on Saipan and Tinian has been restored to 40- and 90-percent of their respective normal supplies.

While all airports on the three islands resumed normal operations, the EOC reported that Tinian Airport’s 400-kv generator as inoperable. The EOC said that CUC would repair or replace the equipment.

CHABA INJURES 13

The supertyphoon left at least 13 persons injured and one person dead. Calvo clarified, though, that the cause of death has yet to be ascertained, while the injuries sustained by rest were only minor.

The EOC said the tourist, who was reported missing on Saipan’s Grotto, has been presumed dead, possibly due to drowning. Police identified the missing person as Jiang Lin, a 38-year-old Chinese. Rough waters reportedly swallowed Jiang on Saturday, the eve of Chaba’s approach to the islands.

The EOC cautioned motorists to be watchful of debris while driving. It added, though, that most of the island’s primary and secondary roads have been cleared of debris, while traffic lights on Saipan are now operating.

The Department of Public Works yesterday waived the weekly limit on the volume of trash that could be dumped in the transfer station for free, allowing residential haulers to bring to the transfer stations up to three loads a day without assessed fees.

The Solid Waste Transfer Station in Lower Base would be opened until 6pm Monday through Friday.

DISASTER CANCELS LAWMAKERS’ SESSIONS

The disaster brought by the supertyphoon resulted in the cancellation of sessions of both chambers of the CNMI Legislature, the building and offices of which got soaked in floodwaters.

House Speaker Benigno Fitial cancelled the session supposedly set on Rota today, while Senate President Joaquin Adriano reset yesterday’s Senate session supposedly on Tinian to Sept. 14 at the Upper House chamber. Sept. 1’s Senate session would be held on Sept. 16 instead at the same venue. Adriano also scheduled another session on Sept. 15.

Office desks and equipment were lined up yesterday at the legislative building’s hallways, after employees trooped to Capitol Hill to clear offices of ponded water, wet carpets and equipment.

One of the employees said she swept up to three inches of floodwaters from her office. She went to the Legislature again yesterday to help clean up the mess.

“This is the first time that we have an aftermath of a typhoon, followed by flooding,” said House Rep. Martin Ada.

House leadership spokesperson Charles Reyes Jr. said the legislative building sustained significant damage, with some offices having leaking roofs.