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Rota doing well 3 months after Mangkhut
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Posted on Dec 20 2018
The island of Rota has been recovering well following the onslaught of Typhoon Mangkhut, the biggest storm to hit Rota since the early 2000s.
John Hirsh, American Red Cross-NMI Chapter executive director, said that things have been looking up for Rota since Mangkhut hit.
“Things on Rota have recovered fairly well. There was a lot of resources expended [on] Rota after Mangkhut…not only by the Red Cross but many agencies,” he said.
The Red Cross was one of the agencies that immediately responded on Rota. The chapter set up camp on the island almost immediately after the storm and has been there to aid in both short- and long-term recovery.
There are homes that remain uninhabitable as a result of the storm, but there are agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency that are still on Rota to assist in the long-term recovery process.
Fortunately, Hirsh said, Super Typhoon Yutu largely spared Rota, so recovery efforts from Mangkhut were not disrupted.
“Fortunately, they weren’t really impacted by Yutu…they had some damage but nothing like we experienced [on Saipan and Tinian],” he said.
Hirsh said that Rota recovery wouldn’t have been possible without the help of generous sponsors.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the generosity of not only our volunteers for being able to leave their families and provide help to those in need but also to all of our donors…who have come up and supported the Red Cross and understand the important work that we are doing. Without their support, we can’t do anything. …We are 100-percent reliant on our volunteers and on donations of the people of the community,” said Hirsh.
According to Saipan Tribune archives, power and water have been completely restored on Rota and debris removal in the villages has been completed. All that remains is the ongoing renovation of homes, establishments, and the restoration of popular tourist spots.
