Mark Rabago
RNZ Pacific CNMI correspondent
The mayor of Rota
in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)
says the island has prepared “as best they can” for Super
Typhoon Bavi.
The National Weather Service in Guam
says the category 5 storm is forecast to remain near this
intensity through Tuesday, as it passes through the
Marianas.
Rota mayor Aubry Hocog said officials have
been canvassing remote communities, opening two emergency
shelters, and urging residents to stay indoors until
authorities issue the all-clear.
A typhoon warning is
in effect for Rota, Tinian, Saipan and Guam, and surrounding
coastal waters.
The Weather Service says widespread
destructive winds in excess of 240 km per hour are
expected.
Hocog said personnel from the Rota Mayor’s
Office spent the past several days visiting residents in
remote farmland areas and the outskirts of villages while
also using social media to relay critical storm information
and safety advisories.
“Our team has been working
diligently these past couple of days to prepare our island
and our people from Super Typhoon Bavi. We are prepared as
best we can.”
She said officials continued making
house-to-house visits and contacting residents to encourage
them to seek shelter in sturdy homes or evacuate to the
Office of Aging in Sinapalo or Dr Rita Hocog Inos Jr/Sr High
School in Songsong before conditions
deteriorate.
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Residents needing transportation
assistance to shelters were advised to contact the Rota
Mayor’s Office or the Office of Aging.
Hocog urged
residents to complete preparations immediately and remain
indoors as Bavi approaches with potentially catastrophic
winds.
“Please take this warning seriously and
complete all necessary preparations.”
She also
appealed to residents to stay inside until authorities issue
the all-clear so emergency responders and utility crews can
safely assess roads, clear debris and identify downed power
lines and other hazards.
“We ask our people to kindly
cooperate and be prepared. By working together and taking
the necessary precautions, we can help protect our families,
neighbors and community. We pray for the safety of our
people.”
As Rota braces for what forecasters say could
be a direct strike, federal disaster agencies say personnel
and emergency supplies have already been positioned across
the Commonwealth to respond once the storm
passes.
Officials from the US Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) and the US Small Business
Administration told Marianas Press that contingency
plans have already been activated while recovery from Super
Typhoon Sinlaku continues less than three months after that
storm battered the CNMI.
Federal gvoernment
response
Keith Jones, FEMA external affairs officer,
said the agency has activated its Regional Response
Coordination Center in Oakland, California, while
approximately 240 federal personnel from multiple agencies
are already on Saipan.
“We’ve stood up a Regional
Response Coordination Center in Oakland, California. We also
have about 240 federal employees-not just all FEMA, from
across the federal government-here in Saipan.”
Jones
said emergency commodities have been staged on Saipan and
Guam, with additional supplies already being shipped toward
the Marianas.
“We’ve already started the supply chain
… they were discussing this in Washington, DC, even on the
Fourth of July, making sure that the people of Saipan and
the people of the CNMI and Guam are going to have the
supplies they need after the storm.”
He added that
FEMA personnel chartered flights into the CNMI ahead of
Bavi’s arrival to ensure responders would already be on
island when recovery operations begin.
“We actually
chartered flights to get here before the storm’s impact …
just to make sure that we are on the island so that we are
ready to go as soon as the storm passes.”
While
declining to discuss specific personnel locations, Jones
said FEMA has staff supporting the CNMI Emergency Operations
Center and coordinating closely with local
officials.
SBA public affairs specialist Reynata Mason
said the agency’s role largely begins after a disaster, but
personnel are already in place awaiting Bavi’s
passage.
“Our focus is primarily after the disaster
happens… We do have staff here on the ground just ready to
see what that aftermath is going to look like.”
Mason
said SBA has approved more than $35.1 million in disaster
loans following Super Typhoon Sinlaku, including about
$31.1m for Saipan, $2.9m for Tinian and $487,300 for Rota.
The agency has received 1198 applications from Saipan, 138
from Tinian and 35 from Rota.
Although Bavi would
become the CNMI’s second super typhoon in less than three
months, both officials said responding to consecutive major
disasters is something federal agencies have experienced
elsewhere.
“Just because you went through Sinlaku
doesn’t mean that Bavi’s going to be the same,” Jones
said.
He urged residents to prioritize personal safety
over property.
“If you’re not in a hardened shelter,
get into a hardened shelter.”
Jones also advised
residents to secure important documents, food and water but
emphasized that preparing for survival is more important
than documenting possessions.
“I want to put your
safety over taking a few pictures.”
Mason echoed the
message, encouraging residents to follow local government
advisories and continue preparing while looking after
neighbors.
“What we do today and how we prepare today
is going to make a big difference on tomorrow.”
She
added that federal agencies remain committed to helping the
CNMI recover.
“We were here for Sinlaku. We will be
here for Bavi, and again, we’re going to be here to provide
the resources as
needed.”
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