Rains delay recovery efforts

Despite tracking far north of the Marianas, monsoon rains continued to batter Saipan yesterday, causing widespread flooding on different parts of the island and resulting in heavy runoff that contaminated the beaches. The number of evacuees seeking temporary shelter at the Marianas High School continues to grow.

Initial assessment showed that among the worst hit by the typhoon’s strong winds and record-breaking rainfall was the agricultural sector, destroying 100 percent of Saipan’s vegetable crops and causing substantial losses to farmers—estimated to reach close to $1 million.

The Commonwealth Development Authority said yesterday it would consider suspending loan payments in the agricultural sector to accommodate the farmers who are faced with this disaster.

The heavy downpour yesterday afternoon stalled government efforts to restore power and clear the island of debris.

Department of Public Works Secretary Juan S. Reyes said DPW had to call off its cleanup efforts on Beach Road and other parts of the island because of the heavy rains.

Power restoration work was also halted for safety reasons, said Commonwealth Utilities Corp. chair Herman P. Sablan.

According to Reyes, the department initially targeted to finish disposing of knocked down trees and clearing up debris within two days, but the heavy rains yesterday made the task even more difficult.

“So we just diverted our efforts instead to opening up the drainage along the shoreline, which was blocked up by sand during the typhoon,” Reyes said.

He added that DPW had to rent backhoe trucks from private companies to augment the department’s equipment.

Reyes also expressed appreciation for the help given by other agencies, which provided additional manpower and equipment to Public Works.

“We could not accomplish all this work even in one week if we didn’t get help from other agencies,” Reyes said.

DPW personnel will be working on Saturday to finish the cleanup, he added.

CUC chairman Sablan, for his part, said power is now restored to about 90 percent of the island. Currently, only certain areas in Susupe and Oleai are still not connected to the main power system.

“Hopefully, we can finish this by the end of this week, if it stops raining. Nobody can work if it continues to rain hard because it’s very dangerous to work with electrical power under that kind of condition,” Sablan said.

Saipan crops destroyed

All of Saipan’s vegetable crops were totally destroyed, according to Isidoro Cabrera, agricultural consultant to the Northern Marianas College’s Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Service.

Cabrera said the crops include tomato, eggplant, bitter gourd, cabbage, green onion and okra.

He said the typhoon damaged up to 60 percent of Saipan’s root crops, including taro and sweet potato. The typhoon also destroyed about 90 percent of the island’s bananas.

Cabrera said the typhoon impacted not only Saipan’s main farming district—Kagman—but also other areas such as Tapochau, Capitol Hill, As Teo, Papago, San Vicente and As Gonno. He said agricultural damage, excluding livestock losses, could reach up to $800,000 on Saipan alone.

CDA executive director Mary Lou S. Ada said the agency is looking at possibly implementing a moratorium on payments from agricultural and marine loan recipients.

Ada said the move would be in line with assisting the agricultural sector, one of the most impacted by the typhoon.

The CDA board would tackle the matter when it convenes possibly next week, according to Ada.

Representatives from the Department of Lands and Natural Resources and the CREES have begun surveying plots around the island, but Cabrera said the survey had to be temporarily halted yesterday afternoon due to heavy rainfall, which measured approximately six inches. He said rainfall reached that level in just over six hours.

At the height of the typhoon Monday, Cabrera said estimated amount of rainfall reached 13 inches.

Rainy days to come

The Emergency Management Office said yesterday that Saipan would experience scattered rainshowers even today.

“Convergent southwest wind flow into typhoon Tingting located far north of the Marianas will maintain scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms through Friday. West swells are slowly subsiding across the region. However, hazardous surf will continue across the islands through early Saturday,” the EMO said.

Based on the forecast by the National Weather Service, the islands would continue to experience isolated showers until Thursday next week.

Intermittent heavy downpour that began noontime yesterday flooded several portions of Saipan, despite a sunny weather in the morning.

One of these areas was the vicinity of the Mobil gas station in Chalan Kiya, the gas pumps of which were soaked in flood. The flood, which measured up to a foot, caused inconvenience to motorists.

The rain also flooded portions of Beach Road, including San Jose and Garapan. A cruise along Beach Road showed the usually clear, blue waters of Saipan’s beaches turned muddy. Heavy stormwater runoff evidently contaminated the beach waters, which turned the waters brownish in color.

The EMO also advised beach goers, fishermen and tour operators of high surf and strong rip currents. Three Chinese women died Sunday after drowning at the beach across the Aquarius Beach Tower in Chalan Kanoa.

Evacuees increasing

The number of evacuees seeking shelter at the Marianas High School has been increasing, according to acting principal Joseph Borja.

Borja said there were 55 evacuees from different villages staying at MHS’ classrooms, but the number was expected to reach 62 by nighttime.

“Most of these have houses that were destroyed and are not liveable,” Borja said. He said the evacuees came from Tanapag, Koblerville, Kagman, Chalan Kanoa and Chinatown.

Sixty-eight-year-old Achene Romino, a resident of Chalan Kanoa, said flood seeped into her house, forcing her and her elder sister to evacuate.

Pertina Ruben, a 28-year-old mother of four, said she and her kids had to leave their Tanapag residence due to severe damage.

“My window got blown away. My small roof is leaking. The house is wet everywhere. All my things in the house are wet,” Ruben said.

She and her kids—aged 5,3 and 2 years and 8 months old—have had no problem with food at the shelter where it is supplied. “We need clothes and blanket,” she added.

The EMO reported that some 47 houses sustained major damage while three others were destroyed on Saipan. The EMO said some 152 houses incurred minor damage.

The EMO also said the typhoon left two houses destroyed and 10 others with major damage on Tinian, while no similar occurrence has been reported so far from Rota.

The EMO advised those seeking shelter to register and look for Borja at the MHS’ administration office. Those who need transportation assistance may call 664-3800, 3801 and 3802. (with Agnes E. Donato)