SAIPAN — Seven weeks after Super Typhoon Sinlaku struck the Marianas, federal and local recovery efforts have delivered more than $20 million in assistance to households, installed nearly 1,200 temporary shelters and cleared tens of thousands of cubic yards of debris, according to the latest update from the CNMI Joint Information Center.
As of June 1, the Federal Emergency Management Agency had recorded 10,958 registrations for individual assistance and awarded $20,040,764.28 to individuals and households, including more than $19 million in other needs assistance and about $1 million in housing assistance. The U.S. Small Business Administration had received 684 disaster loan applications and provided $6.7 million in loans.
Under the S.T.R.O.N.G. Tent and Roofing Mission, which provides temporary shelter to households whose homes were damaged while permanent repairs are made, crews have installed 1,193 tents across the three islands, 1,024 on Saipan, 165 on Tinian and four on Rota, along with 238 temporary roofs. The mission is coordinated by the CNMI government, island mayors’ offices, the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services and the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, with FEMA and federal partners.
The number of people in shelters continued to fall, dropping to 27, a decrease of 13, with residents housed at the Office on Aging and NCS Finasisu Terraces on Saipan.
On utilities, the JIC reported that as of May 29 about 57 percent of Saipan electrical customers were energized through the CUC grid, with generation capacity restored to 34.7 megawatts, surpassing pre-storm operational levels. Officials cautioned that full restoration still depends on continued repairs to damaged poles, transmission infrastructure and lateral lines throughout the villages. About 98 percent of Saipan customers were receiving 24-hour water service, with 92 percent of wells and facilities online, though a boil water notice remains in effect on Saipan. On Tinian, the boil water notice was cancelled May 6.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has collected about 23,800 cubic yards of debris on Saipan, where cleanup is organized across 10 sectors. Residents are asked to sort debris into categories such as vegetative debris, large appliances, construction and demolition material, sheet metal, electronics and household hazardous materials, and to place it along the public right-of-way without blocking roadways, fire hydrants or utility meters. Regular household trash is not collected under the program. The USACE debris hotline is (670) 588-9850.
