JIC Release No. 1 - Guam in COR 3 at 10 a.m. Today; Take Action to Prepare - GHS OCD

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Rear Admiral Gregory Huffman anticipates placing Guam and the respective military bases in Condition of Readiness (COR) 3 at 10 a.m. this morning. At COR 3, damaging winds of 39-57 mph are expected within 48 hours.

Joint Region Marianas, Naval Base Guam, Andersen Air Force Base, and Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz will also establish COR 3. All Military installations on Guam are currently securing facilities and housing residents are urged to commence heavy weather preparedness efforts in COR 3.

As of 7 a.m., Tropical Storm Bolaven was located near 10.0 degrees north latitude and 153.0 degrees east longitude, about 605 miles east-southeast of Guam, moving west at 5 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. It is expected to maintain this general course with an increase in forward speed through late Monday. Bolaven is forecast to intensify through tonight, possibly becoming a typhoon by late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

A typhoon watch is in effect for Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. A typhoon watch means that there is a high possibility for damaging (39 mph) and/or destructive (58 mph) winds and heavy rains. This is expected as early as Tuesday morning.

What to Expect

Current forecast tracks have Bolaven passing through the Marianas late Tuesday. The latest forecasts show 6 to 10 inches of rainfall are likely, with locally higher amounts in excess of 12 inches possible. Waves may increase, possibly exceeding 15 feet, as fresh to strong sustained winds develop.

There remains uncertainty for the exact track of the system as it approaches the Marianas. Any one, or several islands, may take a near miss or a direct hit at its passage.

Efforts Underway

In preparation of the storm’s approach, response efforts are underway. The Department of Public Works (DPW) has pre-staged heavy equipment in flood-prone areas islandwide and has begun clearing poor drainage areas, in partnership with village Mayors’ offices. The Guam Power Authority has begun tree-trimming on Friday and continuing, especially around water well areas. The Guam Waterworks Authority continues to top off all reservoirs. The Port Authority of Guam continues to prepare the Port yard and have already begun working with gas companies.

FEMA continues to monitor and prepare for impacts from Tropical Depression Bolaven, on Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). In addition to federal teams and specialists continuing to help with recovery from Typhoon Mawar, FEMA is deploying an additional 175 federal staff to respond to Tropical Depression Bolaven, if federal help is needed. These additional personnel, includes two Incident Management Assistance Teams that will embed with Guam and CNMI officials prior to the storm’s landfall to enhance preparedness efforts.

FEMA is coordinating other federal partners, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the American Red Cross, U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense and Health and Human Services. These agencies and organizations stand ready to lend their support to the response efforts in Guam and CNMI. FEMA's distribution center in Guam is a permanent federal storage facility that receives, stores, and ships critical disaster resources when needed.

Prepare Now

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautionary actions:

Those living in flood-prone areas should take action now; clear drainage areas and unblock storm drains to minimize flooding;
Stay up to date with the latest information;
Clear loose debris around your yard and store any items that may become ///// with heavy winds, such as canopies, tarps, and trampolines, before inclement weather arrives;
Have an emergency kit prepared: Store enough food and water for your household for 7-10 days. Include medication, disinfectant supplies and pet supplies;
Secure important documents such as birth certificates, tax papers, and insurance documents and keep copies in a water-proof bag;
Review your emergency plan: If you do not have a plan, learn how to create an emergency plan; Have plans for your family members and pets. If you are a person with disabilities or a caregiver for elderly, you may need to take extra steps to plan for those additional needs.
Get emergency alerts: Stay informed by having a weather alert radio, battery-operated, or hand-crank radio, where you can listen to emergency news;
Gas your vehicles and get fuel for your generators;
Pull cash from the ATM in case of power outages;
Don’t drive through flood waters: Almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. When in your car, look out for flooding in low-lying areas at bridges and at highway dips. As little as 6 inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle.

Visit the following links for the latest information:

NWS Website: https://www.weather.gov/gum/
NWS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NWSGuam/
GHS/OCD Website: https://ghs.guam.gov/
GHS/OCD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHSOCD/
Build A Kit | Ready.gov
Hurricane Safety Tips and Resources (weather.gov)
National Hurricane Preparedness | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (noaa.gov)

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.

JIC Release No. 1 - Guam in COR 3 at 10 a.m. Today; Take Action to Prepare