Tinian mayor says island also sustained some damage

Rota took a direct hit from the Category 2 typhoon that was Typhoon Mangkhut, which leveled a lot of homes late Monday, but the typhoon’s strong winds and rain also affected the neighboring islands of Saipan and Tinian.

The Tinian Mayor’s Office noted yesterday that several homes and public facilities on Tinian also sustained damage.

Tinian Mayor Joey Patrick San Nicolas said in an email to Saipan Tribune yesterday that preliminary review suggests damage to the island, although assessment continues to be made.

“Assessments are still being conducted and will be submitted to the…Federal Emergency Management Agency. Based on preliminary review, several homes were either affected or damaged,” he said, adding that some public facilities also had minor damage.

“Shelterees have returned to their homes. [U.S. Navy] Marines were sheltered at Tinian Jr./Sr. High School and at the Tinian Youth Center. They have since relocated to North Field,” he said.

According to San Nicolas, his office, along with the Department of Public Works Tinian, the Department of Lands and Natural Resources Tinian, and the Tinian Medical Center and other agency personnel are continuing with islandwide debris removal and disposal.

“Power is fully restored and water was online throughout the duration of Typhoon Mangkhut. There were no reported injuries,” he noted.

“I would like to thank Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Homeland Security for deploying their advance teams to Tinian. And a big thanks goes out to our many municipal employees for their hard work and sacrifice,” he added.

Typhoon Mangkhut, which is now a super typhoon, left the Marianas Tuesday and is currently barreling toward the northern tip of the Philippines, according to the National Weather Service in Guam. The NWS also noted that Mangkhut’s maximum sustained winds is estimated at 155 mph, and is expected to intensify into a Category 5 super typhoon.

On Rota, which was ravaged by Mangkhut, the Rota Mayor’s Office announced that they would be helping residents dispose of debris left behind by Mangkhut. For more information, contact the Rota Mayor’s Office at 532-9451 to schedule.

A statement from the Torres administration noted that all government offices on Rota would re-open today, while damage assessment continues to be done on all three islands.

“We, along with our federal and military partners, will continue to monitor emergency support functions on all three islands with a specific focus on the needs of our people on Rota,” the administration noted.