Deluge cost $3.4M in damage to crops and infrastructure
By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Chuuk Gov. Alexander Narruhn on Friday declared a state of emergency following a tidal surge that caused massive flooding in low-lying communities, wiped out crops and damaged infrastructure earlier this week.
Based on preliminary assessments, the deluge cost $3.4 million in agricultural damage as well as road and seawalls' destructions.
According to a government committee’s report, damage assessments of other public facilities including schools and health clinics remained pending.
Storms and tidal surges caused widespread flooding in low-lying island communities in the Pacific region on Dec. 5, affecting all states in the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands.
According to Narruhn’s emergency declaration, “the islands of Chuuk were hit by King Tide, higher than normal high tide mark, damaging livelihood, crops, dwelling homes, live stocks, infrastructure, roads, access to medical care, education, transportation, food supply and in some cases causing injuries.”
The governor created the King Tide Disaster Coordination Task Force to develop an appropriate mitigation plan and respond to emergencies.
The governor ordered the task force to convene immediately and address “urgent issues, concerns and needs pertaining to threats to people's lives and their properties as a result of this disastrous occurrence, and how to minimize the threat to lives and severe damage to and destruction of real and personal properties.
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“As of now, the FSM national government is in formal receipt of this information and the president is aware of it, “ said Richard Clark, spokesman for President David Panuelo. “The national government can begin to take the appropriate steps in order to meet the needs of our citizens during this challenging time.”
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