JIC Release No. 20 - Guam Remains in COR 1; Wutip Brings Heavy Rains, Flooding - GHS OCD

Hagåtña, Guam – Typhoon Wutip has intensified and continues to move slowly southwest of the Marianas. Guam remains in Condition of Readiness (COR) 1. The worst conditions are occurring now through Sunday morning.

As of 7 p.m., Wutip was located 11.6N latitude and 143.0E longitude or about 175 miles southwest of Guam and 235 miles southwest of Rota. On its current track, Wutip is moving northwest at 10 mph and away from Guam.

What to expect with the current track:

Tropical storm force winds between 40 - 45 mph for Guam with gusts as high as 60 mph
Closest point of approach (CPA) to Guam will be Sunday morning, about 175 miles southwest of Guam
6-8 inches of rainfall during Wutip’s passage

“The duration of prolonged winds, heavy rainfall, and high tide could be troublesome for our residents living in low-lying areas. We are especially concerned for those in our southern villages, where five inches of rainfall has already been recorded. We are working with island mayors to ensure families living in vulnerable areas are transported immediately to the closest shelter. Again, it is important residents stay indoors, out of the water, and off the roadways until COR 4 is declared,” said Acting Governor Tenorio.

DPW Continues to Address Flooded Areas:
Department of Public Works (DPW) crews continue to clear debris in flooded areas and will continue to provide assistance until it is no longer safe to do so. DPW continues to work on the following areas:

Barcinas area in Merizo
Fanili St. in Agat
Polaris Point northbound
Umatac Bridge area
Talofofo: Ignacio Quitugua St., Francisco Reyes Ave., and North Leonardo St. Turner Road in Nimitz Hill has been cleared.

A flash flood warning has been extended for Guam. Take precautionary measures:

Avoid walking or driving through flood waters. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down and two feet of water can sweep your vehicle away.
If there is a chance of flash flooding, move immediately to higher ground.
If floodwaters rise around your car but the water is not moving, abandon the car and move to higher ground. If the water is moving, do not leave the car.
Avoid camping, parking, or hiking along streams, rivers, and creeks during heavy rainfall. These areas can flood quickly and with little warning.
Visit https://www.ready.gov/floods to learn more.

Power Restoration Update:
Guam Power Authority (GPA) crews continue with efforts to restore power to affected areas throughout the island. As of 10 p.m., line crews were in the following areas:

Donna Lane in Dededo
Maina
Turner Road in Nimitz, Piti

Power has been restored to the following areas:

Tamuning toward East Agana
Nando St. in Toto
Umatac Village

Water Restoration Update:
The Guam Waterworks Authority (GWA) reports that the Ugum Water Treatment Plant is back online. However, GWA encourages southern residents to continue to conserve water.
Additionally, GWA reports that the booster pump in Maina is also online, noting water will be restored soon.

Visit the following links for the latest advisory 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/
Joint Region Marianas Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jrmguam/

For more information, contact the Joint Information Center at (671) 478-0208/09/10.

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. 20 - Guam Remains in COR 1; Wutip Brings Heavy Rains, Flooding