Yutu destroys several homes and business facilities on Saipan. Photo courtesy of Glen Hunter
The government of Guam is spearheading a boot drive on Friday to help Northern Marianas residents who were affected when Yutu battered Saipan and Tinian early Thursday morning.
“Our brothers and sisters in Saipan and Tinian felt the worst of Super Typhoon Yutu. It is in times like these where we band together as a family and help each other stand again," Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo said.
The boot drive will be at major intersections from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26. “The people of Guam have always been able to lend a helping hand — whether it was a local family who lost their home in a fire or a neighboring community devastated by mud slides — our capacity to love others and do what we can to help is at the core of who we are as a people. Tomorrow, I ask that we all dig a little deeper and do what can to help our brothers and sisters who faced a super typhoon and need our help to recover,” Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio said.
On Guam, government operations and private businesses will be back to normal starting Friday.
Pursuant to the Guam Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, the Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense (GHS/OCD) and other Government of Guam (GovGuam) support agencies have begun conducting an island-wide Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) following the passage of Yutu that affected Guam. Assisting GHS/OCD in this effort, particularly in the areas of Business Sector Disaster Damage Assessment as well as Crop Loss Assessment, include the Bureau of Statistics and Plans, Department of Agriculture, Department of Chamorro Affairs, Department of Labor, Department of Land Management, Guam Economic Development Authority, Guam International Airport Authority, Guam Visitors Bureau, and Port Authority of Guam. In connection with this, businesses and farms that suffered damages to facilities, equipment and merchandise, and/or incurred costs relative to emergency protective services or debris clean-up as a result of Typhoon Yutu, are requested to submit respective PDAs. Teams from GovGuam agencies, led by BSP and teams from DA will be conducting damage assessments by interviewing business owners/managers and farm owners, respectively, through Nov. 2. The results of the PDAs will equip GHS/OCD with information needed to make the determinations on what assistance programs, if any, can be brought in to support farms and businesses.