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Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are rushing to complete evacuations and storm preparations as Super Typhoon Bavi bears down on the US Pacific territories. The National Weather Service has labeled Bavi a very dangerous system, with sustained winds of about 260 kilometers per hour and gusts up to 315 kph, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane, and warned of catastrophic damage near the storm’s center. Authorities expect significant flooding from torrential rain, coastal inundation and offshore waves that could reach 10.7 meters, creating extremely dangerous marine conditions. Both Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands have declared states of emergency as the storm approaches. Guam has opened five school-based evacuation centers with space for about 1,900 people, and the National Weather Service has cautioned that the window to evacuate or seek shelter is rapidly closing. Federal Emergency Management Agency teams are already on the ground, with a distribution center stocked with 1.1 million liters of water, 1.2 million meals, 6,700 cots and 90 generators ready for use. Residents are lining up to buy plywood and other supplies, while tourists stranded by canceled flights plan to ride out the storm in hotels. Officials say Bavi is forecast to pass closest to Rota, a small island of around 1,500 people in the Northern Mariana Islands.

By Adyan K. | JQJO News