HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Despite the island being in Condition of Readiness 1, village mayors reported that aside from some rain, the weather Tuesday morning didn’t give much indication that a storm was on approach to the Marianas.
Days ahead of the storm, mayors across the island took measures to protect their villages against disaster, from handing out sand bags and clearing drains to clearing debris. Their efforts made them storm ready hours before Typhoon Bolaven reached the island.
Dededo
“Everybody has prepared, and we are just waiting it out,” Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares said.
She said they weren’t underestimating Bolaven because Typhoon Mawar was still fresh on Dededo residents’ minds as the north had taken a harder hit than residents in the south. The previous storm experience had Dededo residents heading to her office for storm preparation help.
“Only because we have the sandbags available here. That’s why they’re coming, to pick those up,” Savares said.
Dededo still had remnants of debris left over from Typhoon Mawar which the mayor and her team worked to clean up or secure ahead of Bolaven.
“There’s still a few loose items out there in the vicinity … that couldn’t be taken by (the) Army Corp of Engineers, so we tried to help clear some of those things … so it doesn’t become airborne. Otherwise, everyone has done their part to try to make it safe.”
TATUHA
In the central area of Tamuning, Tumon and Harmon, Mayor Louise Rivera and her team were equally busy, having mobilized since the onset of COR 2 on Sunday.
“We cleared several storm drains and responded to people’s requests on certain debris that were out and about. I know there’s still a lot that came out after typhoon Mawar that has not been cleared, such as solar panels that flew to people’s properties that (the) Army Corps was not able to pick up,” the TATUHA mayor said.
Five hours out from Bolaven’s closest point of approach, Rivera said debris remained an issue in the villages.
“I’ve been in communication with the Army Corps with regard to the dumpsite up at Ypao Point. They smashed it down a lot and tried to secure it as best they can, so it doesn’t fly.”
While the impending storm weighed heavy on Rivera’s mind, she said it seemed that residents were not as worried.
“It looks normal. People are still traveling out on the roads,” Rivera said several hours before the storm’s closest point of approach.
Inalåhan
In the south, the Inalåhan and Humåtak mayors said their villages were storm-ready.
“At this point, all our storm drains are clear. We are ready, but nothing’s going on. That’s a good thing though, it’s a good problem to have,” Inalåhan Mayor Anthony Chargualaf said.
Chargualaf said precautionary measure were taken with heavy equipment on standby for flood prone areas and Inalåhan residents were well-informed.
“One of the things we are very good at here is we have a strong community chat so every little information coming out of Homeland (Security) or updates, they are always kept abreast,” he said.
300 sandbags were issued by the Inalåhan mayor, a need that he has seen grow since Mawar.
Humåtak
Humåtak Mayor Johnny Quinata also had his office open to assist village residents.
“Whoever needs assistance, we are just there waiting. … All the flood areas, we know where they are at, and we have the backhoe and my team where all the waters are stopping,” Quinata said.
Quinata and his team worked days ahead of the storm to prepare.
“Everything is cleared, white goods are moved, everything. … We just dumped trash (the) day before yesterday. We cleared trash so that no trash (will be) flying around,” he said.
“The only problem right now is the bridge. … That’s our issue right now,” Quinata said, concerned about the river overflowing and making the bridge impassable.
Five hours before Bolaven’s passage, he said he was still waiting for support to address the flood prone area.
Yona Mayor Bill A. Quenga, third from left, and members of his crew work on clearing a storm drain along Route 4 Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023.
