Flooding and Rip Currents in Guam, April 7 to 8, 2002

At 1520 dispatchers at 911 received a call of a kayaker over the reef along the East Hagatna Bay. Local and military rescue units responded and began the search. They searched the waters from Oka point to Cabras Island. The lost kayaker was identified as 38 year old Hans Kristian Hansen. Involved in the search was the Coast Guard cutter Galveston Island, Guam Fire Department and a Navy HC-5 helicopter. Hansen was not wearing a personal flotation device, according to eyewitnesses. A videotape of the event showed a person paddling a kayak in fierce waves. It then showed the kayak flip at the reef line, then roll upright, empty. Two other kayakers were endangered by therough waves but were rescued by "good Samaritans". On the 8th a kayak paddle that may belong to the missing man was found in the Piti area, causing rescuers to shift their search farther south. At 1700 April 11th the Guam Fire Department stopped it search and recovery effort. The same waves that caused the loss of the kayaker also were responsible for coastal inundation along some north facing Guam coastlines. Chunks of coral, bits of old bottles and whole uprooted plam trees littered beaches and grassy areas alng Route 1 in Asan. Sea water and debris splashed onto Route 1 in a few places where the road nears the water. Coastal inundation was reported at the War in the Pacific National Historic Park in Asan and also at the Paseo Park. On Saipan, police rescued two men from a 14 foot homemade boat that capsized outside Sugar Dock Channel during the morning of the 7th. Mario M. Reyes and Jeffrey Santos were treated for minor bruises and scratches by medical technicians. The two men were holding onto the boat for 30 minutes as the current drifted them toward the reef near Hopward Junior High School in San Antonio. Reyes and his brother-in-law, Santos, went out trolling at 7 am. After several hours of fishing the two men decided to head back to Sugar Dock because the waters started to get rough. The high surf also caused damage across portions of Micronesia, particulary in Chuuk State. The island of Moch, in the Mortlocks, suffered the most damage when 15 foot waves rushed inland early on the 8th. According to a report by the island's deputy mayor, surf went past seawalls and flooded 15 homes and five meeting halls, with water reaching the rooftops. Five of the homes were destroyed and 10 were severly damaged. Seventy-one now homeless people were evacuated to school classrooms and other homes. One man was injured when he was unable to leave his home and the roof fell him. Seawalls on Oneop were also damaged when the ocean surged about 100 feet inland. Homes and property were not damaged on Oneop. Nine homes and two taro patches on the northern end of Lekinioch island were flooded on the morning of the 9th The high seas and stong swells were generated by a strong storm system of of Japan.