The Guam Recovery Office (GRO), in coordination with the Mayors’ Council of Guam (MCOG), and partner agencies, continue to collect data for the island’s Initial Damage Assessment (IDA) following Super Typhoon Sinlaku. This effort is essential to determining the full extent of impacts to homes and infrastructure across Guam.
At this time, Guam remains under an Emergency Declaration and has not yet received a Major Disaster Declaration. Government of Guam officials are currently conducting these assessments to determine if the island meets the federal thresholds necessary to request a transition to a Major Disaster Declaration.
If a Major Disaster Declaration is approved, it could expand available federal assistance programs. These may include Individual Assistance (IA) to support eligible residents with temporary housing, home repairs, and other disaster-related needs, as well as additional Public Assistance (PA) for permanent repairs to public infrastructure. As noted in JIC Recovery Release No. 22, Guam remains in the assessment phase, and federal disaster assistance for individuals is not yet available at this time.
What to Expect: Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment Process
Following the Initial Damage Assessment, joint teams may conduct in-person validations in impacted areas. These Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment teams typically include representatives from the Government of Guam, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the MCOG.
The teams may visit selected homes to visually verify reported damage. Not all homes will be visited, as assessments are based on sampling and reported data.
All official personnel will carry government-issued identification badges, be part of coordinated teams, not acting alone, and will never ask for payment or personal financial information. Residents are advised to remain cautious and not fall for scams or impersonators. If you are unsure about someone claiming to be part of an assessment team, contact your Mayor’s Office or local authorities to verify.
Residents are strongly encouraged to report damage to their primary residence to their respective Mayor’s Office. Self-reported information plays a key role in validating impacts and supporting Guam’s potential request for federal assistance.
To report residential damages, contact your Mayor’s Office and provide:
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Full Name
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Contact Number
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Physical Address
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Damage Category (Affected, Minor, Major, or Destroyed)
Important Reminders for Residents
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Document Everything: Residents are strongly encouraged to document all property damage with photographs and receipts to support potential future federal aid claims.
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Not a FEMA Application: This self-reporting process is a local assessment used to validate the need for federal aid; it is not a registration for FEMA assistance.
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Primary Residences Only: Please report only for the home where you live most of the year.
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Not all homes will be visited, as assessments are based on sampling and reported data.
For more information, refer to the Residential Damage Self-Reporting Fact Sheet. For questions, contact the Guam Recovery Office at (671) 478-0254, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
For the latest updates from the Joint Information Center, visit https://ghs.guam.gov