PSS, NMC resume classes today

The Public School System and the Northern Marianas College announced yesterday that classes would resume today as typhoon conditions for Saipan and Tinian have already been lifted, with Typhoon Cimaron leaving the CNMI.

The CNMI government re-opened yesterday at 12:30pm, soon after Gov. Ralph DLG Torres declared the “all clear” for the islands of Saipan and Tinian as of 7am yesterday morning.

Heavy rains since last Sunday evening halted work for non-essential government employees, including the cancellation of Saipan and Tinian classes for all public school levels. Monday afternoon, Cimaron was upgraded to a typhoon.

The cancellation of classes, which lasted from Monday to Tuesday, was lifted yesterday afternoon as PSS announced that classes on Tinian and Saipan would resume today.

NMC had cancelled classes yesterday; however, NMC employees were asked to report back to work at 1pm to help assess their areas and to also prepare for the start of the fall 2018 semester.

An official from NMC informed Saipan Tribune that classes would resume today, marking the first day for college students for the 2018 fall semester.

The Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport and the commuter terminal re-opened and went back to normal hours of operation yesterday. Sichuan Airlines Flight 3U8645 was delayed until 1:45pm yesterday.

A power outage occurred in the village of Kagman due to a downed transformer.

According to a press release from the Office of the Governor yesterday, PSS, which opened four of its schools across Saipan and Tinian for shelter, noted that a total of 18 sought shelter from the storm through PSS: two at Kagman High School, six at Koblerville Elementary School, 10 at Tanapag Middle School, and none at Tinian Elementary School as of 9pm last Monday. The Office of Aging under the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs was also on standby as a typhoon shelter.

Although Cimaron is making its way out of the CNMI, the Homeland Security and Emergency Management retains Typhoon Condition 1 for the Northern Islands of Agrihan, Pagan, and Alamagan.

Saipan Tribune reported yesterday that Cimaron dumped 4 to 6 inches of rain, flooding several roads in Garapan and other flood-prone areas.