The Northern Marianas has signed on to participate in the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.
Damage from Typhoon Yutu in Saipan Photo: Mark Rabago
The agreement opens up resources from the 50 participating states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands if needed in response to a disaster, whether it be natural, technological, man-made, or even an enemy attack.
The compact allows for quicker mobilisation of resources in the event that another disaster hits the CNMI and obligates the Commonwealth to assist co-signatories if they too are hit by a disaster.
The CNMI has been struck by a number of disasters over the past few years with Super Typhoon Yutu, Typhoon Mangkhut, and Typhoon Soudelor decimating the islands.