Guam Power Authority clearing trees and from powerlines after Typhoon Mawar in May 2023. Photo: Guam Power Authority
A new shelter is opening in Tamuning, Guam, to help ease the strain on Government-run facilities catering for those left homeless by Typhoon Mawar.
The Guam Daily Post reports Government shelters at schools have been at full capacity since last week, after village gyms meant to take those left homeless were heavily damaged.
People have been complaining about the lack of power and water, poor sanitation, and poor food rations at the schools used as shelters.
Erika Cruz from the Department of Education said as of Wednesday, nearly 700 people were being housed by the school system.
She said of those, nearly 600 will need longer-term housing.
But she said the American Red Cross has identified a warehouse in Tamuning where up to 500 sheltered residents can be moved.
"This is a Red Cross initiative, where they determined that the shelters that were existing were not to par with (the way) we should be treating humans at the moment," said Joe John Mantanona, a volunteer working with the Red Cross at the site.
"I'm not blaming anybody, we're just saying that was the situation."
Mantanona said he and about 100 volunteers with Southern Baptist Disaster Relief had helped the Red Cross stand up the site in about 72 hours.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency had also stepped in to help with supplies. Volunteers helped clear out the warehouse and set up restroom and shower facilities within the three days.
"We have the food, we have the medical support, we have even the spiritual support - a number of churches of different denominations will also be assisting, so that if there's anyone that needs to talk with somebody because there's going to be a lot of duress," Mantanona said.
It's possible that more people need shelter, as northern village mayors last week told the Post that numerous people who were left without housing were unable to be housed at government shelters.
Frustrations mount
One resident left homeless after Mawar expressed anger at the conditions residents faced, in a video of the shelter at Maria Ulloa posted online Tuesday by Senator Chris Barnett.
"This is the first time we ever suffer like this," Linda Meno said in the video.
She said conditions were bad at the wet and cold George Washington High School, but were still bad at Maria Ulloa, where she was relocated.
"We're eating two times a day," the woman said. "We started first with the bars - we're starving. Only one bar (of food), one small box of water every day. And we're, like, saying, 'Where is the governor?' We're hungry. And the school treatment is very poor."
Lori Quichocho, who is residing with her family at the Astumbo shelter, also said food serving sizes were less than filling.
"The portion of the food is really small. It's like (a) school cafeteria serving for children," Quichocho said.