Typhoon Soudelor made landfall over the weekend on the Mariana Islands of Saipan and Tinian. Category 2 hurricane force winds caused extensive widespread damage to Saipan, taking out the island’s power, water and sewage facilities and blocking major roadways.
A state of disaster and significant emergency was declared for Saipan as current conditions are expected to last for weeks.
Both Saipan and Tinian are part of the American Red Cross Pacific Islands Region, which includes Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. More than 430 people spent Sunday night in numerous government shelters and the American Red Cross is sending in a National Disaster Response Management Team to help.
Two members of the team plan to catch a military flight out from Hawaii today. Four Red Cross Volunteers from Guam are on standby to deploy to Saipan to assist with damage assessment and casework once flights become available.
“As part of the Pacific Region, we are prepared to help the Red Cross in Saipan. Volunteers are standing by,” said Coralie Chun Matayoshi, Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross, Pacific Islands Region.
The Red Cross stands ready to help the people of Saipan to recover from Typhoon Soudelor. This includes providing food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance as well as supporting the vehicles, warehouses and people that make that help possible.
How You Can Help
Help people affected by disasters like typhoons and countless other crises by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org/donate, or call 1-800-REDCROSS. Contributions may also be sent to the Hawaii Red Cross chapter, which is part of the Pacific Region that includes Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.