HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has placed the island back into Condition of Readiness 4 as of 5 p.m. Thursday – the normal designation for the island in a typhoon-prone part of the Western Pacific.
Military installations, however, are still in a phase of their equivalent to COR 1, where survey work is done to assess the extent of damage caused by Typhoon Mawar.
“Until the recovery process is declared complete (TCCOR 4), or the risk of injury and/or damage to personnel and property has been mitigated to a safe level, the installations are limited to essential personnel only and recommend all on-base personnel remain indoors,” the Joint Information Center stated.
Although the island was through the worst of Typhoon Mawar by Thursday morning, tropical storm-force winds were still being felt well into the early afternoon.
“For the remainder of the day, Guam can expect south winds of 20 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph in heavy showers. Spotty showers are still expected as rainbands come in from time to time, bringing gusty winds at least until after sunset,” JIC stated in a release issued around 5:30 p.m. Thursday. “Surf of 12 to 16 feet is expected for south and west facing reefs. The community is reminded to stay out of the water as hazardous surf and seas will be life-threatening.”
Guam residents who sought shelter from the storm, according to shelter rules may now leave following the governor’s declaration of COR 4.
As of 2 p.m., the Joint Information Center told The Guam Daily Post, emergency shelters in the northern, central and southern Guam were at 23% maximum capacity with 820 shelterees.
Two additional emergency shelters were closed Thursday: Machananao Elementary School in Yigo and Inalåhan Middle School.
“Transportation is being provided to those who would like to relocate to another shelter but do not have a personal vehicle,” said Guam Department of Education spokeswoman Michelle Franquez.
Shelterees at the remaining eight emergency shelters overall saw a decrease from 5 p.m. the previous day, which showed 790 shelterees hours before Mawar hit the island hard.
The number of patients at the island’s public hospital also saw a decline Thursday as expectant mothers returned home.
JIC reported as of 2 p.m. Thursday, Guam Memorial Hospital patient admissions had reduced to 145, four of whom were expectant mothers.
Hours before Typhoon Mawar reached its closest point of approach Wednesday, GMH had 159 patients including 14 expectant mothers, while Guam Regional Medical City had 127 patients. No updated information following the storm was available with regard to GRMC, according to JIC.
JIC reported as of 2 p.m. Thursday, Guam Memorial Hospital patient admissions had reduced to 145, four of whom were expectant mothers.
Downed streetlights and trees block two northbound lanes of Marine Corps Drive in Hagåtña after Typhoon Mawar, on Thursday, May 26, 2023.
