This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Typhoon Bavi east of the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam on Friday.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric/AP
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric/AP
Super Typhoon Bavi is bringing intense winds to the remote U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, as forecasters warn of the potential for severe damage.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued typhoon warnings for the islands of Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands.
On Monday morning local time, the eye of the storm was passing over the island of Rota. “Widespread destructive winds in excess of 150 mph are occurring,” the NWS said. Rota is located some 40 miles northeast of Guam.
“This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” forecasters said in an update.
Local NWS meteorologist Landon Aydlett spoke to NPR from central Guam just after 1:30 a.m. on Monday local time. He said weather conditions were steadily deteriorating across all four populated islands, including torrential rain and strengthening winds.
“This is a powerhouse super typhoon and this is going to be a very grim outlook for any island that takes a direct hit and that still looks like it could be the island of Rota,” said Aydlett, who had been awake for nearly 24 hours tracking the super typhoon. “It’s going to be probably near catastrophic for the entire island.”
The super typhoon was moving west-northwest with maximum sustained winds of 180 miles per hour at 7 a.m. on Monday, according to Guam’s Joint Information Center. Bavi’s wind speeds make it a major Category 5 storm. Structural damage, fallen trees and power outages are expected.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center designates tropical cyclones with sustained winds of 150 miles per hour or greater within the western north Pacific as super typhoons.
Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero transitioned the island into a heightened status of emergency readiness on Sunday.
“We want you to all be making sure that you are prepared,” Guerrero said during a press briefing. “Be safe in your homes and please do not travel the roads, stay out of the waters and be safe.”
Local governments have opened emergency shelters, which have been nearing capacity, as residents in low-lying areas and those living in wood and tin homes have especially sought refuge.
Aydlett says there is particular concern for people who are still recovering from Typhoon Sinlaku, which hit the region in April.
“We have a lot of vulnerable communities across northern Guam, people that live in more substandard building materials,” he said. “From what I’ve heard from Saipan and Tinian, where many people still have no power two-and-a-half months after Sinlaku ravaged those islands, the shelters are packed and they had to turn people away.”
Power outages were already being reported throughout the island of Guam earlier on Sunday, while some flights were canceled and the Port Authority of Guam has suspended operations.
Forecasters warned of damaging flash flooding across the islands. Dozens of schools and hospitals could be affected, according to the NWS.
Aydlett says officials have been warning residents about the super typhoon for several days.
“People need to hunker down wherever they are because it’s just too dangerous to go out at this point,” he said. “We aim for zero fatalities and my gosh, I hope that’s how it turns out. It’s going to be a rough night and a rough day.”
Andersen Air Force Base on Guam is asking that only essential personnel access the base.
Isla Public Media’s News Director Dana Williams contributed to this report.
