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Rough seas hindering fuel supply to Rota
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Posted on Aug 27 2004
The fuel supply on Saipan and Tinian remains stable, but oil shipment to Rota is being hampered by rough seas, according to Mobil Marianas yesterday.
“Saipan has no gasoline and diesel supply problems. With Tinian, it’s not true that its supply was only up for a couple of days. As for Rota, we’re still waiting [for the tanker to get through] due to rough sea conditions,” said Mobil Marianas spokesperson Cecil B. Suda.
She noted, though, that Rota’s gasoline and diesel supply “is sufficient to cover demand until the coastal tanker, Golden Micronesia, arrives.”
Mobil had estimated that the tanker would arrive on Rota yesterday.
For Tinian, she said, port conditions will also determine if there will be any delay in the tanker’s entry into the harbor. The tanker is supposed to arrive on Tinian tomorrow.
Suda said Mobil has reserved gasoline and diesel fuel on Rota and Tinian “for the government’s emergency needs to ensure recovery efforts are not restricted.”
Early this week, Rota Mayor Benjamin Manglona warned that food stock and fuel supply on the island were running low.
Rota is believed to have been worst hit by Supertyphoon Chaba last Sunday, leaving many houses destroyed, agricultural crops wiped out, and power lines totally downed.
The emergency situation, Manglona said, has drained the fuel supply on the island, prompting him to ask oil companies to ship in additional fuel as soon as possible.
“Fuel supplies for diesel, gasoline, and kerosene are becoming low and the fuel supplies may not even be able to get projects to Rota for about two weeks or more,” Manglona said Tuesday.
Chaba unleashed its fury beginning 6pm Sunday, with howling winds escalating from 110mph to 145mph and up to 180mph at dawn Monday. Heavy rain accompanied the winds from Sunday night to early Monday morning, resulting in floods on several portions of the islands. Torrential rains continued until Tuesday.
