Super Typhoon Sinlaku is expected to begin battering Saipan late Tuesday night, with the strongest winds forecast “around 10 o’clock tonight, all the way to midnight, probably to early morning, and probably Thursday,” Gov. David M. Apatang said during a press briefing just before noon Tuesday, April 14, from the Emergency Operations Center on Capitol Hill.
Clement Bermudez, special assistant for Homeland Security and Emergency Management, gave a wider berth on the exact time Sinlaku—named after a Micronesian goddess of nature and breadfruit—will be felt on Saipan and Tinian.
“The best estimation is three hours before midnight and three hours after midnight,” he said in a Zoom meeting with members of the media.
Both officials repeatedly stressed that residents must shelter in place as conditions deteriorate.
“Please stay off the roads. This is not a storm we can afford to take lightly. Emergency services will only respond in critical situations because conditions are unsafe at this point,” said Apatang, who was also at EOC.
Bermudez echoed the warning. “We urge you again to please seek safety and do not take this lightly… stay indoors, away from windows, as far interior as you can.”
Apatang and Bermudez also identified Kagman as an early area of concern as outer bands sweep across the island.
“Strong winds in Kagman,” Apatang said, adding that conditions are expected to worsen significantly overnight.
On utilities, Apatang said water service remains largely intact for now, while widespread power outages are anticipated.
“I think that the water’s still running. So I believe we have generators at the wells, but as far as power is concerned, a lot of the lines are down with the trees,” he said.
Bermudez added that “as soon as it’s safe, Commonwealth Utilities Corp. crews are ready to deploy to restore power and restore water.”
On the federal emergency declaration, Bermudez said the governor’s request to the White House triggered rapid support.
“He asked the president of the United States to declare this as an emergency and he did so, again, rather quickly… so what our people can expect is deployment of federal, especially [the Federal Emergency Management Agency], so that they can do the assessments after we go all clear,” Bermudez said.
Apatang added, “They’re ready to throw their support to the Commonwealth once this is clear, which is maybe Thursday.”
Support has also been pledged from regional partners. “Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has reached out directly to the governor… my counterpart in Guam… has already reached out. Even as far as Hawaii Emergency Management Agency… they’re offering and reaching out to us,” Bermudez said. “That’s how much support that’s waiting to deploy to help you all the way to D.C.”
In closing, Bermudez thanked the media for helping relay critical information.
“You guys are connecting us directly to our residents, to our community… and we truly appreciate that,” he said. Apatang added, “Thank you for reporting this out to our people, keeping our community informed. We really appreciate that.”
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