Guam residents better prepared to manage typhoon stress this time

 By Mar-Vic Cagurangan

Adoracion Manibusan learned her lesson from Typhoon Mawar, a Category 4 typhoon that battered Guam in 2023.

“I didn’t put up the shutters, so my windows got smashed and the storm water came into the room. The strong winds broke my mirror and bed got soaking wet,” said Manibusan, a resident of Tamuning.

Last week, Manibusan heeded the National Weather Service's alert about a developing tropical disturbance, which eventually intensified into a massive super typhoon. She wasted no time.

“I had the shutters installed ahead of time. It gives me confidence this time,” she said.

Sinlaku was downgraded from a super typhoon to a typhoon today. But the storm conditions have extended for nearly two days, causing power and water outages across the island.

Guam Power Authority's power plant units were knocked out by Super Typhoon Sinlaku late Tuesday night. GPA said its crews are now scrambling to repair damaged substations and distribution lines to ensure all power plants are promptly restored.

Low to no water pressure service was also reported in parts of Barrigada, Dededo, Maite, Mangilao, Sinajana, Yigo and Yona.

Many residents rely on generators during power outages.

Guam remains in Condition of Readiness 1. Joint Region Marianas remains in TCCOR 1E, indicating destructive winds of 50 knots (57 mph) or greater are occurring.

In May 2023, Super Typhoon Mawar caused massive devastation on Guam, leaving the island in an apocalyptic-like condition, with broken houses, scarce water supply and damaged utility infrastructure that caused communication and power blackouts. In some parts of the islands, power, water and internet services were down for several months.

Mawar was the first devastating storm to hit Guam since Super Typhoon Pongsona in 2002. Typhoon Paka caused widespread destruction on Guam in 1997. Before Paka, Typhoon Karen was considered the most destructive in history.

Despite the anxiety caused by Sinlaku’s prolonged storm conditions on Guam, many residents said they are better prepared to handle the stress this time.

“I think most islanders took the typhoon advisories more seriously after the last Mawar disaster. They prepped early,” said Maria Lourdes Tenorio of Dededo. “We observed fewer crowds for last-minute trips to the grocery store.”

Her household mitigates the impact of a power outage using a solar-powered generator.

Carolina Villanueva of Dededo stacked up on food supply, filled up her water containers, filled up her car’s gas tank and promptly secured her house last week.

“We made serious preparations. We even bought new typhoon shutters. We had our tinted roofing extension tightly secured,” she said.

Tess Schwab of Agana Heights described herself as a veteran of Typhoon Pongsona. “We have enough of the necessities. I do wish that we had bought a small generator just to power the fridge.”

Gina T Reilly of Barrigada said her household saved fuel for the generator. "However, we don't know if it's enough. We don't know how fast GPA can restore the power. We hope it doesn't take a month as it did during Mawar," she said.

Jackie Sablan of Barriagada Heights said storm preparation went smoothly.

"Absolutely, our household was definitely more prepared. Fuel prep was done early and before the lines, our homes were secured and water reserves were full up," Sablan said. "We did not, however, line up at the grocery stores. Those lines were insane. We have enough food to last us. As a matter of fact, we are cooking up whatever we have so that food doesn’t go bad (due to power outages)."

Learning from Mawar when telecom carriers struggled to restore their systems, Sablan said her household now subscribes to two phone companies.

"Our families were all secured. Two phone companies, Docomo and GTA, in our household at all times for service," she said.

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