By Cassie DLG Fejeran
\nSpecial to the Tribune<\/p>\n
The Emergency Management Office has sent all but three families home from the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium yesterday. <\/p>\n
According to Ada gym shelter manager Joe Mettao, the EMO requested to have the three families \u2013 comprising of 19 adults and children \u2013 remain in the facility until they rebuilt their homes or relocate to another.<\/p>\n
The EMO, American Red Cross, and the Community Guidance Center are working together to provide tents, tarps, cots, and blankets to the evacuees that have left the gym. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe got $1,600 from the American Red Cross,\u201d said a resident from Oleai. The American Red Cross has issued a check worth $1,600 for assistance in food, clothing, and other necessities. \u201cWe also got a small lamp, tent, cooking stove, and [eating utensils],\u201d she added. <\/p>\n
Connie, a resident of Kagman, visited her relatives still staying at the Susupe Sports Complex. \u201cMy house is okay, the bathroom is the only problem, but I\u2019m here to be with my [relatives],\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
“There are some people they [EMO] sent home,” she said. “But the real question is, is it safe for them to go home?”<\/p>\n
Her relatives were told to leave yesterday afternoon despite the damaged to their homes. \u201cTheir roof flew off and all their belongings are wet. The body of their house moved from the foundation. How can it be safe for them to go back home,\u201d Connie said.<\/p>\n
Damaged homes weren\u2019t the only problem that tormented these families. Fiana Moses, resident from Chalan Kanoa, said she has six kids, and a few happen to be sick. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe stayed here for one week. My house is damaged. It\u2019s flooded inside. It stinks from the sewer [age] and there\u2019s fish inside too,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Moses stood patient by the gym, as Linda Graf-American Red Cross disaster relief personnel phoned the relief center for assistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey said that we have to stay here for two nights until they find a place to put the tent for us,\u201d said Moses. <\/p>\n
Children Ethan and Kayleen entertained themselves in the gym while their parents sought out to seek for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy parents went to sign some papers for FEMA, because our house is flooded and we need help,\u201d said 15-year old Kayleen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not used to it here because it\u2019s too open. There\u2019s no privacy, but its also okay sometimes because I have relatives that were here,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n
“It\u2019s fun to be here because we meet more friends,” said Ethan. “Now everyone is gone, I would rather go home.”<\/p>\n
Evacuees will remain in the shelter until further notice from EMO. “By next week, hopefully, we should know from the EMO if it\u2019s okay for these families to go home,” said Mettao.<\/p>\n
Only last Thursday, the Ada Gym was home to 191 people who were evacuated from their homes due to the onslaught of Supertyphoon Chaba a couple of weeks ago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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