governor of northern mariana islands calls for calm after super typhoon devastation
R alph DLG Torres, Governor of the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), urged local residents to keep patience as the local government and federal agencies are trying to restore the islands normal life in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yutu.
Mr Torres advised residents at a press conference aired by local KSPN channel on Saturday that, in the current difficult situation caused by the one of the strongest storms in history, residents should stay at home and do not drive out if unnecessary.
“So, patience is needed. If you don’t need to be on the road, stay at home because the more traffic you bring out there, the more chaos that you bring to everybody. Go home, do some cleaning as you can and only travel if you need to,” he said.
Pictures posted online showed that long lines of cars can be seen in gas and water refilling stations, and even in some stores and laundromats, while fights have occurred in some gas stations, with some trying to cut in line just to get ahead.
A local Chinese American resident, who moved to a hotel after his electric generator run out of fuel on Saturday night, told Xinhua via cellphone that hotels in Saipan are full of displaced people.
He estimated that 30 per cent local residents had lost their houses in the Typhoon, which also left one dead and over 130 injured. Torres also signed an executive order on Saturday declaring a price freeze for almost every daily life product, which will last until rescinded or until the declaration of the emergency or disaster situation is terminated according to a memorandum.
On Sunday, Mr Torres officially announced the suspension of his campaign for the remainder of the 2018 CNMI general election season to prioritise relief and recovery operations. The election will be held on November 6. Xinhua