The shelter population on the Northern Marianas island of Saipan has dropped by 70 percent since October's Typhon Yutu.
Locals in the CNMI waiting to get food stamps after category five Super Typhoon Yutu devastated the island and neighboring Tinian. Photo: Mark Rabago
The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs said as of the end of last week the shelter count on Saipan was 360, down from nearly 1,100 shelterees during the immediate aftermath of the category five storm.
However over 800 tents are being used on Saipan and over 200 on neighbouring Tinian.
Authorities said over the past five weeks, power has been restored to half of Saipan with 50 percent of nearby Tinian also projected to be back online by Christmas.
Over 80 percent of Saipan's water wells and all of Tinian's wells are operational.
Public schools, including the Northern Marianas College, are set to open their doors for the first time since Yutu made landfall this week.