While the weather formation known as Chan-Hom moves away from the Marianas, Guam is still cleaning up the mess from its other brush with Mother Nature in less than two months.

Just as one storm passes, the aftermath of another still remains on Guam. "Even with Chan-Hom's passing, we immediately jumped back into recovery efforts for Typhoon Dolphin," expressed Guam Homeland Security Public Affairs Office Jenna Gaminde. "All of these efforts were not forgotten for recovery from that first typhoon." She says once Guam was given the all-clear from Chan-Hom, focus immediately shifted back to recovery mode for Typhoon Dolphin, which struck the island less than two months ago with winds exceeding 100 miles per hour causing hundreds of families to seek emergency shelter.

"Our FEMA officials that arrived here for recovery efforts, came back to work today Monday right after the storm's passing. Sunday, July 5 was the deadline to submit request for public assistance from the different governmental agencies and private non-profit organizations that were potential applicants for public assistance," she added.

The deadline is part of the presidential declaration for a major disaster issued last month for Guam. The approval specifically covers the request for hazard mitigation and public assistance which includes emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged government facilities. Gaminde says 28 Government of Guam agencies and one private non-profit met the submission deadline, adding, "The two categories were debris and removal and protective and emergency measures, and this can include can even include overtime pay for people that worked before the storm to put up shutters for emergency protective measure and even after the storm clearing up debris."

Gaminde could not provide the total assistance needed, but according to a preliminary assessment of the damage, $7.1 million was estimated for GovGuam in emergency response. The declaration, however, denied Guam's request for individual assistance for families who experienced damage to their homes. Gaminde said, "Individual assistance was denied and the governor has up until July 9 to re-appeal, so Guam Homeland Security worked closely with FEMA officials to go out and do revalidation or reassessments throughout the northern villages and try to gather all that information for the Governor's Office. It's now before the governor for his recommendation for re-appealing."

Governor Eddie Calvo in an interview last month did indicate he would move forward with the appeal. In the meantime, the Governor's Office was presented a $100,000 check from FSM Legislature Speaker Wesley Simina. The check was made for Dolphin recovery efforts. This assistance goes along with the $250,000 provided by the Department of the Interior in May to help Guamanians displaced by Typhoon Dolphin.