Follow-Up: Trump Approves Emergency Declaration for Guam as Tropical Storm Champi Creates Emergency Conditions; FEMA Opens Federal Disaster Assistance
WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on Oct. 17 that President Donald J. Trump has approved an emergency declaration for Guam, making federal disaster assistance available to support the territory's response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Champi beginning Oct. 16, 2026, and continuing.
According to FEMA, the President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security's FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts, with the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and providing appropriate assistance to save lives, protect property, public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance program, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding. William F. Roy has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected areas. FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by Guam and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.
Champi rapidly intensified this week in the waters near Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Per earlier National Weather Service and Joint Typhoon Warning Center updates, the storm has strengthened to Category 4 strength, with Guam under a typhoon warning; it is forecast to pass just south of Guam early Sunday local time. Guam's governor requested a federal emergency declaration on Friday, and the President also approved an emergency declaration for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands the same day.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国国家海洋和大气管理局 NOAA 卫星于10月17日拍摄的台风Champi影像，风暴位于关岛以东海域。NOAA 数据经维基共享资源发布，公共领域。Image: NOAA satellite image of Typhoon Champi east of Guam, Oct. 17, 2026 (public domain, via Wikimedia Commons).
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