Guam and CNMI
Digging Out From Pongsona
Federal Aid For Thousands In Post-Typhoon Guam, Rota
Most observers agree that the damage to Guam from Supertyphoon Pongsona on December 8 was the worst since 1976. As a result of six hours of 240 km (149 mile) per hour winds (estimated, since the official wind stations failed), almost every building that was not entirely concrete suffered substantial damage and even many concrete buildings lost windows and doors during the storm, causing interior damage. The northern Guam villages of Tamuning, Dededo and Yigo—the most heavily populated and commercially active—sustained the most damage before the storm moved on to ravage nearby Rota in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas.
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The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency was able to swing into action quickly since 50 personnel were on Guam during the storm—prepositioned to provide aid to Saipan, CNMI, Pongsona’s predicted target. On Dec. 11, The first flight into the airport following the storm brought 215 federal emergency personnel. In all, 23 FEMA cargo flights arrived in Guam, the last on Dec. 27. The flights brought in 3.5 million pounds of cargo including power generators, water tanker trucks, tents, cots, blankets, medical supplies, bottled water and emergency food rations at a cost of about $55 million, according to Bob Fenton, FEMA operations chief. In addition, about 1,000 federal workers arrived from 20 different agencies including FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Public Health Services and the Department of Transportation. As of Dec. 27, 8,500 people had applied for the federal Individual Assistance Program and $4 million of assistance had been approved. Damage assessments are continuing.
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More than 3,000 people remained in the 13 school buildings designated as government shelters until Dec. 26 when tents were distributed to families so they could return to their property and the schools prepared to resume classes. A preliminary report from the American Red Cross listed 1,200 homes destroyed and 1,650 homes with major damage. More than $7.4 million of federal emergency food stamps were distributed to more than 23,000 applicants, with estimates that the total would top $10 million.
In the last days of 2002, the Guam Power Authority had restored electricity to about 30 percent of its customers. Water service to most residents was inconsistent as only 66 of the Guam Waterworks Authority ‘s 110 water wells were operating. In addition, residents were advised to boil tap water. Telephone service, usually Guam’s most reliable utility, was problematic because of generator problems. In addition, damage to T-1 lines interfered with credit card and bank transactions.
The Guam International Airport sustained $42.3 million of damage—$5 million to the terminal building, the remainder to the air field and hangars. Two airplanes were damaged. Commercial operations following the storm were suspended for two days as runways were cleared and secured (the perimeter fence was destroyed in the storm), lights repaired and notification distributed to pilots about the status of the navigation aids.
John F. Kennedy High School was badly damaged. Its status for the rest of the school year is doubtful and officials believe it may have to be condemned. Department of Education officials said 85 classrooms sustained severe damage at other schools.
The Guam Memorial Hospital had to evacuate its intensive care unit and pediatric ward during the storm as doors and windows were damaged. A military field hospital was flown in and set up in the hospital parking lot. GMH staff made repairs and the field hospital left after two weeks. The Cancer Institute of Guam was flooded and facilities destroyed. Patients undergoing treatment were flown by FEMA to the institute’s sister facility in Maui.
In addition to damage from the wind, four fuel storage tanks adjacent to Guam’s commercial port on Cabras Island caught fire during the storm. As of this writing, though the cause of the fire is unknown, lightning or sparks from wind-propelled debris are thought to be the most likely cause. The fire burned for a week, consuming millions of gallons of aviation, diesel and automobile fuel. Though sufficient fuel supplies remained on the island, the fire caused the port to stop operations and tanker trucks were unable to supply those gas stations which were still intact. On Tuesday, Dec. 10, concerned customers waited for hours for fuel for their vehicles as well as home and business power generators. Gas stations inventories began to run low and concern was raised that emergency vehicles would not be able to operate. On Wednesday morning, the sale of fuel to non-emergency vehicles was suspended until Sunday afternoon. As a result, the recovery did not get into full swing until the following Monday.
On Rota, damage was most severe in the southern part of the island. “The village of Songsong ceased to exist for a while,” says Lou Botta, FEMA deputy federal coordinating officer for the CNMI. “It received the strongest winds and, with the storm surge, the water came in over the buildings.” There were no fatalities among the island’s 3,000 residents. The American Red Cross classified 104 homes destroyed and 153 with major damage.
The island’s east harbor was seriously damaged and the power grid is “on the ground,” Botta adds. FEMA assistance included food and equipment for the power structure. By the end of December, 93 percent of the island’s power grid was up, with power being generated by the Rota Resort’s 4 megawatt generator. The Disaster Recovery Centers opened on Dec. 28 to accept applications for relief programs.
