CNMI Governor Arnold Palacios is preparing Rota, Tinian and Saipan in the event Bolaven makes landfall as a typhoon on any one of the islands Tuesday. In a news conference just passed noon Monday, October 9, 2023, Mr. Palacios’ homeland security special assistant, Franklin Babauta, and the governor’s de facto senior advisor Frankie Elliptico provided an update on the Palacios administration’s preparations for the arrival of Tropical Storm Bolaven.
As of early afternoon Monday, October 9, 2023, Bolaven is moving away from Guam as it more probably now threatens Rota, Tinian, and Saipan, according to the latest information from the National Weather Service Guam office’s chief meteorologist, Landon Aydlett.
“Right now, we can breathe a little easier in Guam,” Mr. Aydlett said. “But not so much for the Northern Marianas.”
In a 10:30 a.m. briefing to the Guam Emergency Operations Center, Mr. Aydlett said that while Guam is not out of the woods yet, the likelihood of the southernmost island of the Marianas receiving typhoon-strength winds this week are dwindling. And the likelihood of a typhoon directly hitting Rota, Tinian, or Saipan are increasing.
As of now, the forecast says that some time Tuesday night, now-Tropical Storm Bolaven is expected to make its closest point of approach north of Rota as a category-1 or category-2 typhoon. That can change, as the Joint Typhoon Warning Center believes rapid intensification may happen within the next 36 hours as the storm approaches the Marianas.
Any shift south could bring greater wind speeds to Guam. Any shift north could spell more trouble for Tinian and Saipan.
Typhoon Condition II not yet declared; Opening of shelters imminent
Mr. Palacios has yet to declare Typhoon Condition II. According to Mr. Babauta, who also is the state coordinating officer for the typhoon preparations and response activities, that declaration is dependent on signals from the NWS and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center on when destructive winds are expected to reach the NMI. That threshold has yet to be met.
Meanwhile, the government is preparing storm shelters to be opened when Typhoon Condition II is declared. Residents of Rota, Tinian, and Saipan are asked to keep tuned to the news for when that might happen.
Mr. Elliptico also confirmed that an executive order mandating price freezes throughout the Commonwealth is impending, with a possible signing today.
Drafts of a declaration of a state of emergency, and a letter to the President request a disaster declaration also are done.
Recovery response assets deployed and pre-positioned; water wells have working generators
According to Mr. Babauta, the governor has deployed and pre-positioned assets needed in Rota, Tinian, and Saipan that will allow for more efficient and immediate recovery efforts. Those include water tanks, machines to clear roadways, and means of communications among first responders.
He also confirmed with the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation that water wells have working generators to pump water in the event islandwide power goes down.
The precarious situation with electricity generation in Rota also is being monitored and addressed. Yesterday on Kandit via phone, Mr. Palacios said assets were sent to Rota prior to knowledge of the storm in order to help produce redundancies for the ailing power generation system there.
MedEvac services from Saipan, Rota, and Tinian under coordination
Mr. Babauta echoed information Mr. Palacios gave Kandit yesterday about coordination with Joint Region Marianas to provide med-evac support for people needing life-saving services in Saipan, Tinian, and Rota in case hospital services fall below standards due to storm damage.
“The hospital is prepared, but I am concerned, too,” Mr. Babauta said in response to Kandit’s question about whether the hospital in Saipan is prepared to deal with a possible category-2 storm. “We have requested med-evac support if we need to mobilize from here to another hospital.”
What to do if your home is damaged by the storm
Don’t wait to clean up your homes and make repairs if your home is damaged by the storm, Federal Emergency Management Agency external affairs officer Craig Browning advised residents. Mr. Browning joined Mr. Babauta at the news conference, and provided assurances of FEMA’s on-the-ground presence in the CNMI, and support through the storm and into the recovery process.
If the President approves a federal disaster declaration, FEMA will be able to deploy programs that may help people and businesses with financial aid to recover from damages.
“You don’t have to wait for FEMA to start making repairs,” Mr. Browning said. “Start your recovery, but take pictures.”
