Saipan braces for cleanup • Declare state of emergency, Saipan mayor urges Gov. Tenorio

Tropical storm Saomai left Saipan Friday, causing major ruins to vegetation and roads due to heavy downpour of rain that gripped the entire island.

While declaring the islands safe from the recent storm, Emergency Management Office Director Greg A. Deleon Guerrero said the cleanup of washed-out roads should now be a priority in order to restore road safety for motorists.

“We’re back to normal but we have to free the roads from scattered debris, fallen rocks, coconut shells, and others. Most of what we had to deal with had to do with the floods. I have been out surveying areas with the governor and at the same time, we are also assisting flood victims,” said Mr. Guerrero.

Last Friday, Saipan Mayor Jose C. Sablan appealed to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio to declare a state of emergency on the island to pave way for their immediate repair of roads badly damaged by the storm.

According to the Mayor’s Office, major road repairs are urgently needed as its present condition poses great danger to the community who utilizes secondary roads.

The Department of Public Works and the Mayor’s Office have combined efforts to clear drainage channels clogged with debris and rocks in order to mitigate water overflows, according to Mr. Guerrero.

But EMO reported no substantial damages to island structures or buildings.

“We received no such complaints. Most of the families requested assistance for relocation. And we closed emergency shelters since Saturday. Families have gone back to their homes,” he added.

Meanwhile, Saipan was damped with heavy rains caused by monsoon winds yesterday morning, inundating low-lying areas around the island and triggering soil, coral and rock erosions visible in the long stretch of Middle Road.

A weather advisory said the weather is not expected to improve in the next two days due to a disturbance coming from east of the region.

At the American Memorial Park, Park Ranger Chuck Sayon reported that strong winds brought by typhoon Saomai knocked down some 20 large trees.

Mr. Sayon said the National Parks Services would have to shell out an estimated $10,000 to $15,000 to restore the park.

“I don’t have much money because it’s the end of the fiscal year. But we’ll have to find the money somehow to clean up the park,” he said.

Mr. Sayon is currently negotiating with the park’s landscaper, weighing on whether the fallen trees should be replanted or have them chopped down.

Also facing a major repair is the park’s bridge located near the marina. Built in 1993, the concrete bridge’s destruction which started from typhoon Paka to Keith, and worsened by tropical storm Saomai.

“The recent typhoon has made it worse. It’s slowly collapsing. One more typhoon and this could go down,” said Mr. Sayon.

The parks services has projected some $70,000 in additional funding to save the bridge from further dilapidation.

But Mr. Sayon stated typhoon Saomai’s effects are very mild compared to the two last storms that pounded the islands three years ago.

“During Keith, all the trees were flat. And we spent about $100,000 to fix up the park on that one. But my biggest concern right now is this bridge. We need to work on this as soon as possible,” said the park ranger.

In a week’s time, Mr. Sayon expects the park cleanup to be completely done.

“I think we will do this internally. I think we can do this ourselves,” he said.