05.08.15 Typhoon Noul

Had been really, really busy and not able to post on the typhoon. We also have had power  off and on, too. There was remarkably little structural damage on Yap - flattened cooking houses, roofs blown away, and one injury. Just finished my PH typhoon report late yesterday afternoon and will finalize the PH preparedness plan. We discussed this at the PH weekly meeting so I got a lot of input. I must admit, I made a point of telling the staff they must attend the preparedness meetings and can only miss then for a funeral - theirs. Too many take off and don't help,leaving a few to always carry the burden of volunteering to man shelters and organize supplies, etc. They did laugh once they realized what I said. Funerals here are a really important social and family obligation.

Here are a couple more pictures of the typhoon damage. No where near as dramatic as Super Typhoon Maysak.

Inspector Scuba Dog Shorty at the scene. Men's house at the Living Museum.

A beautiful scene with the green and yellow buildings in the morning sunlight. Take a close look- the yellow building, a church, has no roof!

My friends Heidi and Amos and their four children - Tommy, Reina, Honora, and Theo live here. The roof over the porch is gone, but everyone inside is safe. And it is laundry day!

One more uprooted tree near the Wa'ab Living Museum. They trees do have a shallow root system which predisposes them to toppling over in a strong wind.