Supertyphoon Pongsona Leaves Guam in Shambles

Written by Mason Booth, Staff Writer, RedCross.org

December 13, 2002 — With power and phone lines down across Guam, immediate word on the impact of Supertyphoon Pongsona was slow to come. When it did, the fears of many were realized. Pongsona had roared into the U.S. territory on Sunday (Dec. 8), with winds in excess of 180 mph, leaving more than 1,000 homes across the island leveled.

Supertyphoon Pongsona ravaged homes across Guam after striking the island with winds in excess of 180 mph. Photo courtesy of FEMA

”A typhoon of that size is the equivalent of a Category 4 or 5 hurricane,” said American Red Cross disaster worker Dana Allen. “Making it worse was the fact that the actual eye of the storm, where the winds are heaviest, passed over Guam. The northern portion got the highest winds, but the entire island was struck by some section of the eye’s wall.”

Miraculously, no deaths have been attributed to the storm. However, according to preliminary damage assessments, more than 7,000 homes and businesses sustained damages.

Very little on the island was left unscathed. The civilian and military hospitals, ports, businesses, roads and the local airport all suffered the wrath of Pongsona, prompting around-the-clock local recovery efforts as mainland relief agencies struggled to reach the island, isolated by the extensive damage.

When the airport reopened on Tuesday, an enormous relief effort unfolded, involving both the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

"The Red Cross has sent in highly-trained, advanced teams to implement the disaster relief operation in Guam," said David Rudduck, a Red Cross disaster worker en route to the island. "Almost 100 more volunteers are on the way from across the nation."

Trained mental health counselors are working with local residents coping with the devastation, while Red Cross volunteers are navigating through piles of debris to distribute food and potable water - the number one need following a major disaster.

In response to a federal disaster declaration by President George W. Bush on Sunday, FEMA authorities rushed to the scene to assist the immediate recovery effort.

"Our first priority is to augment the Guam Memorial Hospital," Bob Fenton, Chief Operations Officer for FEMA, told the Guam Pacific Daily News. "That's the governor's priority to us."

Damages to Guam Memorial, the only civilian hospital on the island, were so severe that the pediatric, intensive care, respiratory and medical telemetry units were closed. The emergency room remains open.

With power still down across much of the island, the Guam Power Authority and its assisting agencies continued to complete assessments of the electricity crisis while determining necessary equipment, personnel and the most urgent locations.

Water and sewer systems were also affected and aren’t expected to be fully functional again for weeks.

As the immediate recovery effort gains momentum, the entire island remains under a public health advisory. Local officials have ordered all residents to boil water before bathing or drinking until otherwise notified. Efforts are targeted to ward off the spread of disease and prevent any further hardships to residents struggling to cope with the devastation left in Pongsona’s wake.

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