FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONEISA: Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) High Tide Event, December 7-12, 2008 Report Submitted By Marilyn Shigetani PDA Team Leader (1/26/2009) 1 1. Background: I. Precipitators According to the National Weather Service, in early December 2008 a vigorous low pressure system formed north of Wake Island. Surface reports indicated a large area of 50 to 60kt surface winds formed along the low pressure’s northern periphery while it moved slowly towards the southeast to near 20N 174E by Sunday December 7, 2008. Surface winds weakened slightly, but remained at gale force, 35-40kt, by Tuesday, December 9, 2008. At the same time the moon’s orbit with the earth was approaching its closest point (perigee) causing unusually high tides. Reports from Altimetry showed significant wave heights in excess of 30ft near the low pressure system generating northerly swells in the range of 12-15ft from Majuro westward to Pohnpei and Chuuk. The combination of these factors resulted in high wave and tide events throughout the FSM. II. Evolution of PDA Request Beginning on December 7, 2008 and concluding on December 12, 2008, a tidal event swept over the Federated States of Micronesia, causing damage to crops and coastal areas throughout the country. In response to this incident the Governor of Pohnpei State, John Ehsa, declared the islands of Kapingamarangi, Mwokil, Ngetik, Nukuror, Oroluk, Pakin and Pingelap to be in State of Emergency on December 19, 2008. On December 24, 2008, Governor Robert Weilbacher of the State of Kosrae declared the existence of a state of emergency because of tidal surges that caused property flooding, damage and destruction of households, businesses, infrastructure and crops. The emergency declaration affected the municipalities of Tafunsak and Lelu and other communities of Kosrae state. Also on the 24th the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) requested a joint preliminary damage assessment (PDA) for the purpose of verifying damage caused by high tidal surge, coastal erosion and salt water intrusion in the States of Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap. On December 26, 2008, the Governors of Chuuk and Yap declared states of emergency due to the same event. On December 29, 2008 President Emanuel Mori of the FSM declared a State of Emergency for the four states. He additionally formed a National Emergency Task Force and called a Special Session of Congress to address appropriations for an emergency plan to address the effects of the high tide and wave event. The Government of FSM began relief efforts on January 1, 2009. One National Patrol Boats were dispatched to the Mortlock and Northwest Islands of Chuuk State and the outer islands of Yap State with food and water. FSM Damage Assessment teams were also aboard and conducted preliminary damage assessments on the islands. Additionally, the FSS Caroline Voyager departed on January 5th to the Southern Islands of Pohnpei State with a separate 2 assessment team and food and water for these islands, while one FSM Patrol Boat department Pohnpei to begin an assessment of the northern islands of Chuuk State. To coordinate this effort the National Emergency Task Force set up its Emergency Operations Center at the FSM National Police Maritime Wing office in Dekehtik, Pohnpei. III. PDA Concept of Operations After receiving FSM President Mori’s request for USG assistance in the preliminary disaster assessment USAID /OFDA responded by quickly organizing a team of experts to carry out the assessments. During the December 30, 2008 teleconference between USAID/OFDA and FEMA, it was determined that the following assessments would be undertaken: State Infrastructure Agricultural Water Individual Assist. Assessment Assessment Assessment Assessment Pohnpei X X Chuuk X X Yap X X On January 12, 2009 the FSM government further requested a PDA for the State of Kosrae to assess loss to infrastructure, homes and businesses. To accomplish the assessment, USAID/OFDA and FEMA coordinated with other federal agencies to form a multi-agency USG PDA team. Subject matter experts were tasked to verify the damages reported by the FSM. The team was comprised of the following inter-agency personnel: Coordination Team Leader: Bart Deemer USAID/OFDA Team Team Marilyn Shigetani FEMA Leader/Indiv. Assist. Program Lead: Deputy Team Thomas Breslin FEMA Leader: Chuuk Team Agricultural John Quidachay USDA/USFS Specialist: Hydrologist: Jeff Perrault USGS Pohnpei Team Agricultural Julie March USAID/OFDA Specialist: Agricultural Craig Smith USDA/NRCS Specialist: Hydrologist: Vince Radke CDC Yap Team Agricultural Thomas USDA/FSA 3 Specialist: Camacho Hydrologist: Sarah Rosa USGS Kosrae Team John Quidachay and Marilyn Shigetani On December 30th, 2008, a conference call was held between the Team Leader and the members of the PDA team to brief the team on the FSM’s request, the PDA concept of operations, emergency procedures, country clearances requirements, travel logistics and cultural aspects of the communities the PDA team would be visiting. On January 2nd and 3rd the USG team arrived in Pohnpei and met with the FSM National Emergency Task Force headed by Andrew Yatilman, Director of FSM Office of the Environment and Emergency Management on the 4th. On January 5th the Team met with US Ambassador Miriam Hughes and Deputy Chief of Mission William Douglass. The Pohnpei and Yap Assessment Team departed on the evening of January 5th after a final briefing from the FSM National Government. On January 6th the Chuck Assessment Team departed by air for Weno. Over the course of 11 days the teams conducted assessments as outlined below: Date Chuuk Team Yap Team Pohnpei Team 1/4/09 Team Arrival and Orientation 1/5/09 1/6/09 Weno Travel Sapwuahfik 1/7/09 Travel Travel Nukuoro 1/8/09 Halls Satawal / Lamotrek Kapingamarangi 1/9/09 Halls / Namonwuitos Elato Travel 1/10/09 Namonwuitos Faraulap / Ifalik Travel 1/11/09 Namonwuitos / Woleai / Eauripik Oroluk Western Islands 1/12/09 Western Islands Fais Pohnpei 1/13/09 Travel Ulithi Pohnpei 1/14/09 Lagoon Islands Ngulu Pingelap, Mwoakilloa 1/16/09 Kosrae PDA 1/17/09 The goal of this assessment was to determine the severity of the damage to subsistence crops and ground and drinking water systems. The primary agricultural crops to be assessed were taro and breadfruit, which are the staple food consumed by the islanders. Other important food sources include banana, sweet potato and tapioca. The ships which carried the assessment teams also carried relief supplies for the population, which included rice, sugar, noodles, blankets and sheets from the Micronesian Red Cross and a 4 medical doctor who visited local clinics at each island to provide health services above and beyond those normally provided on island. Due to the impact of the tidal surges the PDA team validated damage and long term effects reported by the FSM using the following assessment tools: National Weather Service input on the causality of the event Ground assessments made by the State and National Government Ground assessments conducted by U.S. Government (USG) subject matter experts. This assessment was carried out over the course of two weeks on FSM Government Patrol Boats and the MS Caroline Voyager, as well as using fixed-wing aircraft provided by Caroline Inter-Island Air. The teams conducted assessments in each island group of affected islands to determine the impact throughout the atoll or chain of islands. Ground assessments included determining the impact to taro beds, breadfruit, coconuts and native fruits, and water quality and quantity on the impacted islands. 2. Assessment Methodology: I. Agricultural Assessment Criteria • Cause of crop failure from triggering event: o Tidal flooding of taro farms o Extreme high tide causing salt intrusion into subsurface water lens of taro farms o Salt spray from wind and wave action o Persistent high levels of standing salt water in taro farms over a long period (4 weeks) • Assessment Sampling: o Random sampling of taro plants by extraction o Inspecting taro corms for rot o Salinity measurements of standing water in taro farms o Visual inspection of breadfruit, banana, and papaya • Assessment Data: o Agricultural assessment data was categorized by the projected impact it would have to staple crops. Thresholds for Damage assessments are as are follows: 5 Damage Percentage Crop Affected Destroyed 100-90% Severe 90-70% Moderate 70-20% Negligible 20-0% NA Not Assessed II. Water Assessment Criteria Reconnaissance and assessment visits were made January 6-16, 2009. Numerous interviews while on the affected islands resolved that the triggering event was an unusually high tide. Subsequent research found that the period of the event coincided with the highest Perigean Spring Tide of 2008, and that the moon has not made this close a pass (perigee) during a spring tide since January of 2005. Opportunely, the highest Perigean Spring Tide of 2009 occurred during the assessment period, which allowed the assessment team to witness the magnitude of the effect, and confirm that it resulted in high tidal inflows in excess of normal high water indicators. During this January event there were no high winds, and no reported storms in the area; despite this the team witnessed numerous homes that were flooded, and sea walls that were being overtopped. Inspection to water resources was focused on potable water, represented by rainfall catchment systems, and ground water, represented by dug wells and opportunistic samplings of taro patches. Subsequent sampling indicated that potable-water resources were dominantly adequate at the time of the visits, and will likely improve as the area enters its traditional wet season in the coming months. STATE ASSESSMENTS YAP STATE: I. Background FEMA/USAID PDA team along with Yap State and FSM National Government representatives departed Pohnpei State on January 5. The joint PDA team conducted assessments in Yap Outer Islands to review and verify the impacts to agriculture and water resources of high wave actions occurring on December 7- 12, 2008.