[CVRC] GUAM UPDATE #2

[Dick Flanagan]

From: WW9E@aol.com
Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 8:34 AM
Subject: GUAM SUPERTYPHOON PONGSONA

This is a report from Doctor Emil Pearson, one of our SATERN members who=20
relayed this from a MARS station on a Shares net. The Salvation Army has=20
personnel in Guam. For your information:

Island endures 150 mph winds

Injuries, damage reported By Steve Limtiaco, and Theresa Merto=20
slimtiaco@guampdn.com; Pacific Daily News.

Guam felt the full force of Supertyphoon Pongsona yesterday, which=20
intensified to a 150 mph supertyphoon as it blew across the island before=20
hitting Rota.

Pongsona's eye crossed the northern end of Guam, but the entire island was=
=20
hit by at least part of the storm's eye wall,which contained the strongest=
=20
winds. Gusts reached 184 mph by late afternoon, according to the Joint=20
TyphoonWarning Center.

Gale-force wind and rain started in the early afternoon and continued into=
=20
the evening as the storm moved northwest at about 12 mph.

As of 8 p.m., the storm's eye was 50 miles north-northwest of Guam, and 10=
=20
miles west of Rota.

"Rota is getting it, and it's more intense than what we had," said Sarah=20
Prior, forecaster at the National Weather Service's Guam office. "The eye=20
wall looks like it's right on top of them."

Officials had little information about the extent of the storm's damage.

Because the storm moved slowly, some parts of Guam endured much more wind=20
than others, Prior said.

"It went really slow and we never got out of the eye wall, at least in the=
=20
central and southern parts" of Guam, she said. "If we'd gotten the eye, it=
=20
wouldn't have been so bad."

Wind speeds were expected to slow to 40 to 60 mph this morning, with gusts=
=20
to 70 mph.

The eye of the supertyphoon passed over parts of Dededo,including Astumbo=20
and Las Palmas, Latte Heights and other northern locations.

Eight people were reported missing after a fire at the tank farm operated=20
by Mobil Oil Micronesia, but they were later accounted for, according to=20
officials.

Drydock

A floating drydock at the port was loose because of the storm, but not=20
adrift, according to the governor's communications director, John Ryan.

The "Big Blue" AFDB-8 dry dock, which was towed from Hawaii to the ship=20
repair facility in 1999, was banging against Bravo Wharf, according to Ryan.

There was extensive flooding in several villages, forcing some to wade or=20
swim from their homes to safety.

Travel was difficult, even after the strongest winds subsided, because the=
=20
island's major roadways were blocked by water, downed or low-hanging power=
=20
lines, utility poles, boulders and other debris.

Much of Marine Drive in Hag=E5t=F1a was flooded from curb to curb, and=
 several=20
cars had stalled.

Flooding on southbound Route 4, just before Pago Bay, was heavier than=20
during Typhoon Chata'an in July, and the road was impassable in both=20
directions, even for four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Several people reportedly were injured at the Outrigger Guam Resort, near=20
the upper-level floor where travel agent offices are located, according to=
=20
eyewitness accounts.

The metal security gate that separated the hotel from the entertainment and=
=20
restaurant complex next door fell during the early part of the storm,=20
causing injuries, and windows at the travel agencies blew in, cutting=20
people with glass.

SGD AAR7AL/RCS SHARES CENTRAL

BT

NNNN
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Dick Flanagan W6OLD OOTC CFII Minden, Nevada
E-mail: dick@twohams.com