Andersen slowly digs out after typhoon

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Claudia Garcia-Strang
  • 36th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Residents here felt the full force from one of nature's most destructive forces Dec. 8 as Typhoon Pongsona released its fury.

Pongsona's eye passed over Andersen in the late afternoon and took more than two hours to completely pass before the full force of the typhoon ripped through the base.

"Pongsona turned into a super typhoon just before it hit us," said Capt. Van Smith, 36th Operations Support Squadron weather flight commander.

Many trees and buildings on base took heavy damage from wind gusts estimated to be about 180 mph.

"We aren't sure exactly how strong the winds were because we lost our sensors before we hit peak winds," said Smith.

"The base infrastructure and facilities received major damage," said Maj. Val Hasberry, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron operations flight commander.

Among the buildings on base that experienced heavy damage were the hangars on the flightline.

The 36th Civil Engineer Squadron is working to get power and water restored to the base, but the base's wells sustained major damage, Hasberry said. Currently, there is no set time for power to be re-established. (Courtesy of Pacific Air Forces News Services)