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Residents of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands rushed to evacuation centres and completed last-minute preparations on Sunday as Super Typhoon Bavi, a powerful Category 5-equivalent storm, barreled toward the US Pacific territories.
Forecasters warned that the storm, packing sustained winds of up to 260 kilometres per hour (160 mph) and gusts reaching 315 kph, could cause catastrophic damage as it moves westward across the region beginning early Monday.
The US National Weather Service (NWS) described Bavi as a “very dangerous” super typhoon, warning that tropical storm-force winds would begin affecting the islands by Sunday afternoon or evening before conditions rapidly deteriorate.
“Catastrophic damage is possible near the centre of the system,” the NWS said, adding that torrential rainfall, severe flooding and coastal inundation posed significant threats.
Meteorologists also warned of waves reaching up to 35 feet (10.7 metres) — roughly the height of a 10-storey building — creating extremely hazardous conditions across surrounding waters.
As authorities urged residents to seek shelter, many scrambled to protect homes and businesses.
“I cannot afford to lose so many days. It hurts,” said 55-year-old restaurant owner Pinky Cubacub as she boarded up her eatery in Guam after purchasing around $500 worth of plywood.
“Because I just started, whatever we’re making right now is just for rent, utilities, my employees and supplies. I don’t even pay myself yet,” she told AFP.
Call centre employee Arabella Paulino, 48, said she was trying to reassure her children despite growing concerns.
“My girls were saying to me it’s scary. But it will be okay,” she said. “My house is concrete, so the worst that can happen is a window could blow in.”
Derma Soaladaob, a 51-year-old school bus driver for the US military, said she planned to ride out the storm at a hotel.
“I have a concrete house, but with the noise and the wind, it’s scary,” she said.
Japanese tourist Miku Sakurai, 25, found herself stranded after her return flight to Tokyo was cancelled due to the approaching storm.
“We will stay in the hotel when the storm comes. I am scared,” she told AFP as heavy rain began falling across Guam.
The Northern Mariana Islands, located in the western Pacific, are home to about 40,000 people, while neighbouring Guam has a population of approximately 170,000. Both territories form part of the Mariana archipelago.
Authorities remain on high alert after Super Typhoon Sinlaku struck the region in April, knocking out power to tens of thousands of residents, uprooting trees, overturning vehicles and tearing roofs from buildings.
The storm also caused the cargo vessel MV Mariana to capsize after suffering engine failure. One crew member was found dead, while five others remain missing and are presumed dead.
By Sunday morning, forecasters projected that Bavi would pass closest to Rota, a small island situated between Guam and Saipan, home to around 1,500 residents.
“By working together and taking the necessary precautions, we can help protect our families, neighbours and community. We pray for the safety of our people,” Rota Mayor Aubry Hocog said.
The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said response teams were already deployed in Guam, where emergency stockpiles include 1.1 million litres of drinking water, 1.2 million ready-to-eat meals, 6,700 cots and 90 generators.
The National Weather Service warned that the “window to evacuate or seek shelter is closing.” Guam authorities have opened five evacuation centres, primarily intended for residents living in vulnerable structures, with capacity for nearly 1,900 people.
The approach of Super Typhoon Bavi comes amid growing concerns over warming oceans and increasingly intense storms.
The European Union’s Copernicus Marine Service reported this week that the world’s oceans experienced their hottest June on record, with temperatures likely to remain exceptionally high in the coming months.
Warmer ocean temperatures can intensify tropical cyclones by providing more energy and increasing atmospheric moisture, which often leads to heavier rainfall.
Meanwhile, the World Meteorological Organization announced on Friday that El Niño conditions have already developed in the tropical Pacific and are likely to strengthen.
The naturally occurring climate pattern, which typically emerges every two to seven years and lasts between nine and 12 months, warms sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean and can significantly alter global weather patterns, including rainfall, wind systems and storm activity.
