Super Typhoon Bavi approaches U.S. Pacific islands, ‘very dangerous’; National Weather Service issues warning

People in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands moved to emergency evacuation centers on Sunday and made last-minute preparations hours before a “super typhoon” was expected to sweep through the U.S. Pacific territory.

Super Typhoon Bavi is expected to sweep westward through the region starting early Monday, packing winds of up to 260 kilometers (160 miles) per hour, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane, and gusts of up to 315 kilometers per hour.

this National Weather Service It called the typhoon “very dangerous” and warned of “tropical storm” winds Sunday afternoon or evening that would later cause “catastrophic” damage near the center of the system.

The National Weather Service said “heavy rains are expected to cause severe flooding and inundation of coastal areas” and that waves are expected to be as high as 35 feet (10.7 meters), equivalent to the height of a 10-story building, causing “extremely dangerous” conditions at sea.

As she boarded up the windows of a Guam restaurant, Pinky Cubacub, 55, said she lined up at a lumber store early Saturday morning to buy $500 worth of plywood.

“I can’t afford to lose so many days. It’s painful,” she told AFP. “Because I’ve just started and all we’re doing now is rent, utilities, my people and supplies. I haven’t even paid myself yet.”

Arabella Paulino, 48, a call center worker, said: “My daughters told me it was scary. But it’s going to be okay.”

“My house is made of concrete, so the worst that could happen would be the wind blowing in through the windows,” she told AFP.

Dema Soladab said she was going to a hotel.

“I have a concrete house, but the noise and the wind are scary,” said the 51-year-old man who drives a school bus for the U.S. military.

Miku Sakurai, a 25-year-old Japanese tourist, was scheduled to fly back to Tokyo with friends on Sunday, but the flight was canceled due to weather conditions.

“When the storm comes, we stay in the hotel. I’m scared,” the office worker told AFP as heavy rain began to fall.

Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which hit the region in mid-April, left tens of thousands of residents without power, uprooted trees, overturned cars and toppled metal roofs from buildings.

A cargo ship named MV Mariana suffered an engine failure and capsized during the storm. The body of one crew member has been recovered, while five other crew members are missing and presumed dead.

By Sunday morning, Bawi is expected to pass the nearest Rota Island, a small island roughly halfway between Guam and Saipan, the main island of the Northern Mariana Islands and home to about 1,500 people.

“By working together and taking the necessary precautions, we can help protect our families, neighbors and communities. We pray for the safety of our people,” said Rota Mayor Aubrey Hokog.

A team from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has arrived in Guam, and its distribution center is stocked with 1.1 million liters of water, 1.2 million meals, 6,700 cots and 90 generators.

The NWS said “the window to evacuate or seek asylum is closing” and Guam opened five evacuation centers in schools with a total capacity of 1,900 people, mainly targeting people from vulnerable families.

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Warming oceans help tropical storms intensify and add more moisture, creating heavy rains.

The World Meteorological Organization warned on Friday that boyTypically occurring every two to seven years, lasting nine to 12 months, they have begun in the tropical Pacific and can be intense.

This natural climate phenomenon increases surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, causing changes in wind, pressure, and rainfall patterns worldwide.