About a week after Typhoon Mawar ravaged Guam, leaving much of the U.S. Pacific territory in disarray, the majority of the island remained without power. While the storm caused no fatalities, it brought significant damage, particularly to infrastructure. As of Wednesday, only 28% of electricity had been restored, leaving many residents sweltering in the intense heat and humidity. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported that just 44% of cell towers were operational, and roughly half of the island’s water system had been restored.
Governor Lou Leon Guerrero has urged residents to be patient, acknowledging that full recovery could take at least a month. Typhoon Mawar, which made landfall on May 24 as a Category 4 storm, battered Guam’s northern region, flipping cars, stripping trees of leaves, and tearing off roofs. The island’s 150,000 residents have been facing long lines for gas, and high school graduations have been postponed indefinitely.
More than 3,400 people have applied for individual assistance, and FEMA expects that number to rise as communication networks improve. FEMA’s Bob Fenton, who has 26 years of experience with storms in the Pacific, emphasized that despite the severe impact, Guam has made strides in strengthening its infrastructure since Super Typhoon Pongsona in 2002, such as replacing wooden power poles with concrete ones.
The Human Toll: Newborns and Families Endure Harsh Conditions
For many families, the storm has been particularly tough. New mom Gyuri Kim gave birth to her first child, Grace, as Typhoon Mawar lashed the island. With the hospital flooded and walls shaking from the winds, Kim had to wait in a hallway post-delivery due to a shortage of available rooms. Despite the harrowing conditions, Kim and her husband are doing their best to care for their newborn, even though they remain without electricity and air conditioning.
Other families, like Blessy and Ramil Argana, who welcomed twin daughters during the storm, also faced challenges. One twin required monitoring in the neonatal intensive care unit, while the other accompanied her parents to a hotel to escape the chaos at home. Without power, water, or internet, Guam feels like “a ghost town,” Argana said.
Guam Memorial Hospital, the island’s primary civilian hospital, sustained significant flood damage, but remained operational throughout the storm. Governor Guerrero and other local officials continue to face criticism for the recovery efforts, with some, like Mayor Jesse Alig of Piti, expressing dissatisfaction with the level of planning and response.
Despite the obstacles, officials remain committed to restoring normalcy as quickly as possible. FEMA and local authorities continue to work on reconnecting power, water, and communications, with hopes that more significant progress will be made in the coming weeks.
Source : https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/hawaii/articles/2023-05-31/born-in-a-typhoon-many-including-newborns-remain-without-electricity-as-guam-recovers-from-storm
