On July 6th residents of these islands in the Pacific Ocean were hit by Super Typhoon Bavi, a category 5 storm. It was the second major storm to hit this region in just over 80 days. The residents of these islands hadn’t even finished repairing the damage from the previous typhoon, Typhoon Sinlaku, that made landfall on April 14.
When Super Typhoon Bavi hit the island of Rota, it packed sustained winds of 180 mph, the strongest storm to ever hit the island. Damaging winds also impacted Guam, Tinian and Saipan. One of the Red Cross volunteers who raised his hand to go to the island of Rota was Alan Underkofer. He described on social media what he saw when he flew in:
"What I saw was heartbreaking. Homes were torn apart, critical infrastructure was destroyed, communication towers lay crumpled on the ground, power poles were snapped like toothpicks, and the island’s port remains inaccessible. For many residents, electricity won’t return for months, and the road to recovery will be long. Despite the destruction, hope is already taking shape. Red Cross volunteers are on the ground alongside our local and government partners, operating shelters, distributing food, tarps, clean-up kits, and other emergency supplies, while assessing damage and helping families begin the difficult process of recovery. The needs across Rota, Saipan, Tinian, and Guam are immense, but because of the generosity of donors, whether they give a little or a lot, the American Red Cross is here, providing comfort, relief, and support when it matters most. Thank you to everyone whose donations make this work possible. Your generosity is helping families take their first steps toward rebuilding their lives."
A big thanks to Alan and all the volunteers who are there, who will remain there as long as we're needed. According to some estimates, at least half of the island's structures were damaged or destroyed, and it may take months to fully restore power there.
You can support the work the Red Cross is doing on this disaster and so many others by going to Redcross.org/donate.
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