It’s back to normal

Saipan staff of the Northern Marianas College clean the premises of the temporary campus yesterday despite the rains in preparation for the resumption of classes today. (IVA MAURIN)

In two weeks, the inhabited islands of the CNMI have managed to dodge two typhoons and emerge relatively unscathed, with the latest being Typhoon Bualoi, which tracked north of Saipan early Tuesday morning and passed Anatahan as it drifted northwest, mostly resulting in just damp weather on Saipan and Tinian.

Shortly after the “All Clear” was declared for Saipan and Tinian at 11:30am yesterday, acting governor Arnold I. Palacios announced that government offices on Saipan and Tinian will reopen today, as well as the resumption Public School System and Northern Marianas College classes.

As of 5:30pm yesterday, the Northern Islands of Alamagan, Pagan, and Agrihan remain under Tropical Storm Condition 2, with Typhoon Bualoi spotted 90 miles west of Pagan, 100 miles west-southwest of Agrihan, and 100 miles west-northwest of Alamagan.

The National Weather Service in Tiyan, Guam, lifted the typhoon warning for Saipan and Tinian around 8:20am yesterday as Typhoon Bualoi continued its northwest trek away.

Bualoi passed just north of Anatahan between 5am and 5:30am yesterday morning and that allowed the strongest and typhoon-force winds to keep north and offshore of Saipan as it passed.

Based on information received from the NWS and compiled at the CNMI Emergency Operations Center-State Warning Point, maximum sustained winds have increased to 140 miles per hour, with the possibility that Bualoi would intensify further yesterday evening before reaching peak intensity last night or today.

This comes just a week after Super Typhoon Hagibis also whipped through the northern part of the CNMI Tuesday last week, before causing havoc in Japan with at least 70 people dead and 12 others missing. Japan’s Kyodo News agency, citing its own tally, put the death toll at 81. Nagano in central Japan and Fukushima and Miyagi in the north were among the hardest-hit areas.

PSS and NMC open classes today

PSS and NMC classes and offices will have regular hours today.

Classes at Mount Carmel School and Grace Christian Academy will also resume classes today, while Saipan International School and Saipan Community School each had late start of classes yesterday and will be back to normal hours today.

Airport back to normal hours, seaports remain closed

The Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport and Tinian International Airport resumed normal operations at 8am yesterday.

Airlines have maintained their delayed flight times while inter-island commute resumed yesterday. All seaports remain closed, and port operations remain shut down.

CHCC opens outpatient services

The Commonwealth Health Care Corp.’s Outpatient Clinic, Outpatient Pharmacy, Dialysis Unit, Chemotherapy Unit, Physical Therapy, and Tinian Health Center were open by 12pm yesterday. The Rota Health Center had regular hours yesterday. All administrative offices remained closed yesterday.

All dialysis patients were contacted by hemodialysis staff to reschedule treatment.

Tents

Teams from the Saipan Mayor’s Office, Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, and the Department of Corrections were sent yesterday to help residents erect their tents. First responders assisted residents in transitioning back into their homes.

The Aging Center was used for residents and families awaiting their tents to be erected.

Power and water back to normal

The Commonwealth Utilities Corp. announced that all feeders remain online and are running normal, and no incidents were reported through the storms. All tank service areas are back online as of 10:33am yesterday and as water pressure begins to build, residents will receive water. CUC Tinian and CUC Rota operations are running normal.

All shelters closed

As of 2:30pm yesterday, PSS and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs announced that all nine emergency evacuation shelters have been closed. A total of 372 individuals comprising 72 families resided in the shelters.

Banks reopen

Bank of Guam announced yesterday that its Saipan and Tinian branches reopened yesterday at 11am and will be back to normal business hours today. Bank of Hawaii was also open at 10am yesterday and will resume normal business hours today.