[Anchor Lead]
Typhoon Yutu has lashed American territories in the West Pacific. The 26th typhoon of this year has devastated the Pacific islands and left some 1700 Korean tourists stranded in Saipan.
[Pkg]
Gale-force winds shake the trees. The streets are piled up with trash and the city lies in ruin. Typhoon Yutu struck U.S.-ruled Saipan and other northern Mariana Islands, leaving around one thousand Korean tourists stranded in the area. They have nowhere to go as the airport is closed down. Power and water supply is cut in some areas and accommodations have become scarce.
[Soundbite] Korean tourist in Saipan : "Even the locals come to the hotel to escape the storm. There are no rooms in the hotel, so we can't extend our stay."
The stranded Koreans have opened a group chat room on social media to exchange information while waiting for the flights to resume. However, some carriers have already texted travelers that flights will likely remain grounded until the end of the month. The Korean Foreign Affairs Ministry's local office that oversees the western Pacific region said, appropriate measures will be taken soon.
[Soundbite] Officer at the Foreign Ministry's Hagatna Office(Voice Modified) : "No dates have been set for the airport reopening. We will check with the airport authority tomorrow for official status and coordinate protection measures for Korean nationals."
According to the Ministry, so far no Korean nationals have been reported dead, missing, or injured.
