07.06.20

Livestreamed Committee Event This Wednesday: “Federal Emergency Management Agency Response to Pacific Natural Disasters in 2018”

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-CNMI) will lead a livestreamed roundtable discussion at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, July 8, titled “Federal Emergency Management Agency Response to Pacific Natural Disasters in 2018.” The event will focus on preliminary findings of a forthcoming Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, including the fact that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is still waiting on approximately $20 million in unfinished Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) repair work nearly two years after Super Typhoon Yutu struck in 2018.

The event will be live on Facebook at https://bit.ly/2O1zsOx and YouTube at https://youtu.be/Zu8va_Gy11Q.

On October 24, 2018, Super Typhoon Yutu caused catastrophic destruction to the CNMI islands of Tinian and Saipan. Yutu was the strongest typhoon ever recorded in the Mariana Islands and the second strongest storm ever to strike the United States and its territories, according to the National Weather Service. A month earlier, Typhoon Mangkhut struck both the Mariana Islands and Guam, toppling trees and downing power lines.

Today, almost two years later, many of the 50,000 residents in the Marianas are still living in damaged homes, and FEMA is still providing financial assistance for roof repairs. To date, FEMA has obligated a total of more than $180 million in federal funding for public assistance projects related to Super Typhoon Yutu.

Speakers

Robert J. Fenton

Region IX Regional Administrator

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Chris Currie

Director, Homeland Security and Justice Team

Government Accountability Office

Press Contact

Media Contact: Adam Sarvana

(202) 225-6065 or (202) 578-6626 mobile