A week after Super Typhoon Sinlaku tore through the island, evacuees at the Tinian Elementary School shelter are recounting how they fled for safety and returned to homes left in ruins.
“When we heard Sinlaku is coming, we prepared to cover everything, our window and door,” said evacuee Rogel “Owen” Teope. “And we just decided to go to the shelter to make sure we are going to be safe, because we heard there's a lot of big cyclone on this area and going to hit our island. So we prepared to move here to be more safe.”
The decision likely saved their lives.
“Then when we stay here, that's very, very, very strong wind,” he said. “And when we come back to our place, our roof is gone and tree and everything. Everything is wet and a lot of dirt inside the house.”
Despite losing nearly everything, the 49-year-old expressed gratitude for the assistance reaching Tinian.
“We're very thankful to our Red Cross here. They're helping us so much. Very big help for our community here,” he said.
His daughter, Alicia Teope, 17, echoed that appreciation while pointing to the broader outpouring of support.
“So in terms of the aid that is coming into the islands, I've been seeing the news on Marianas Press. So from Red Cross, Samaritan’s Purse, all the other, even local organizations that are receiving fundings and those from outside the islands hosting these GoFundMes, we're very much thankful,” she said. “Like we all say, Marianas Strong.”
“At the end of the day, though this storm may hit us hard, at the end of the day, it's all those tiny steps that we take that make us come back stronger,” she added.
Teope had a simple message for those sending help.
“Thank you for every nation that's going to help on our island. We really, really need you guys' help,” he said.
For 24-year-old Wesley George Cepeda Teregeyo, the storm forced his family out of their Marpo Valley home and into safer ground.
“So my home, like many others out there, it got devastated, you know. Just the roof blown off, a whole bunch of trash and debris thrown everywhere. My car got totaled a little bit. And yeah, that's like, yeah, it's just heavy damage, usually heavy damage,” he said.
Though some belongings were salvaged, most were lost.
“We were able to salvage a few stuff because we had like a little concrete room that we usually slept in. So yeah, we were able to like barricade a little bit and, you know, have a little bit of damage control,” he said.
Teregeyo said evacuating early made a difference.
“I had convinced my parents to do so because reports were showing that it was going to be… probably equivalent to the strength of Yutu,” he said.
Comparing the two storms, he said duration played a key role in the destruction.
“So Sinlaku compared to Yutu, I would say Sinlaku was a little weaker than Yutu. But since it stayed here, I would say double the length of Yutu, it did way more damage than Yutu ever could,” he said.
For now, recovery is focused on small steps.
“Right now, it's just we're doing a little bit of cleanup here and there. Helping out our other family members and communities when we have some downtime,” he said. “One of my ways that I cope for this, especially during the struggle, was, you know, just being there with family and, you know, helping out, being a Good Samaritan… being selfless.”
“I'd just like to, you know, hope everybody has been safe during the typhoon. And, you know, I hope they can find the strength and hope to, you know, continue on after this typhoon. And I know we will. We're Islanders,” he added.
At the shelter, American Red Cross Tinian Elementary School shelter manager Brenda Kamish said about 105 to 110 people remain housed in classrooms a week after the storm.
“The shelter opened on the 12th, and it's going pretty well. We have people in the classrooms, and they're usually family groups that are in the classrooms that we're using,” she said.
While conditions are stable, challenges remain.
“We're trying to get them cots and blankets. They brought their own things, and so a lot of them are sleeping on the floors. And they're wonderful people. They don't complain about it, but we'd like to make them a little more comfortable,” Kamish said.
Relief operations are continuing, with basic needs being met.
“So we're feeding them three meals a day, three hot meals, and taking care of whatever they might need or want. Needs, mainly,” she said.
Medical concerns have so far been minimal.
“No illness has been reported in the shelter. We have a nurse here. If they're not feeling well, we've encouraged them to go speak with our nurse,” she said.
Kamish also praised the evacuees for their resilience and kindness.
“I thank the people. They've been just so kind to us. I mean, we're here to help them, and they're always thanking us. And they haven't complained to us about much of anything,” she said.
Even amid hardship, small gestures stand out like Teope giving Kamish and the rest of her team fresh coconut juice.
“Yeah, he's breaking us open coconuts,” Kamish replied.
It’s a testament to the 3,000-strong Tinian community’s spirit amidst the face of the very long recovery period from Sinlaku.
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