CNMI Delegate Kimberlyn King‑Hinds said the focus has now fully shifted from emergency response to the difficult work of recovery, following the Commonwealth’s late‑Tuesday all‑clear after Typhoon Bavi’s direct landfall on Rota.
King‑Hinds took to Instagram shortly after the all‑clear was issued for Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, delivering a message of gratitude, urgency, and reassurance as communities began emerging from shelters.
“God is good. The all‑clear has just been issued for the islands across the CNMI. Bavi has left the building and we can now get back to the business of, you know, cleaning up and rebuilding,” King‑Hinds said in her Instagram video.
“Your hearts are with us, and we are 100% behind you — whether it be local assistance or federal support. We have been in close communications this past day and then this morning with all the mayors, as well as the governor and other federal partners to begin the work of returning back to some sort of normalcy.”
Super Typhoon Bavi delivered its strongest impacts to Rota, where initial reports show widespread power outages, damaged homes, fallen poles, and debris‑blocked roadways. Saipan and Tinian experienced tropical‑storm‑force conditions, with scattered damage and ongoing utility restoration.
King‑Hinds acknowledged that many families remain in the early stages of recovery.
“I know that there’s a lot of people who are still in the process of recovery here on Saipan and Tinian. Rota — the hard work begins of trying to get critical infrastructure up and going so that you can begin rebuilding,” she said.
“Rest assured that everything’s being done to mobilize all the critical assets needed to get you back online. We will continue working hard to get the assistance that we all need here in the CNMI to be able to get us back to normal — and by normal, hopefully back to pre‑Sinlaku.”
Federal partners are expected to begin preliminary damage assessments as soon as transportation and safety conditions allow. Local agencies are prioritizing power restoration, water production, debris clearance, and access to medical services.
King‑Hinds said her office will continue pushing for rapid federal support, including disaster declarations if warranted.
Officials urge residents to exercise caution around downed power lines, unstable structures, and flooded areas as cleanup begins. Updated situational reports from the CNMI government are expected later today
