Emergency evacuations are taking place in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a super typhoon bears down on the US Pacific territories.
Super Typhoon Bavi is forecast to make landfall early on Monday morning, with winds of up to 257 km/h (160 mph), according to the US National Weather Service.
The agency warned that the “very dangerous” storm could cause “catastrophic” damage, with “significant flooding from torrential rains” possible and waves potentially nearly 11 m (35 ft) high on Monday.
The western Pacific region is particularly prone to tropical cyclones – though storms of this strength are unusual for the US islands.
Bavi is expected to pass directly over Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands by Monday afternoon, but the NWS warned that destructive conditions could be felt eight to 10 hours from the storm’s centre.
“The window is rapidly closing to evacuate if directed to do so by local officials, or if your home is vulnerable to high winds or flooding,” the agency said, adding that winds “will pose a deadly threat to those venturing outside.”
Guam, usually a sun‑soaked tourist destination with a population of about 170,000, has opened five evacuation centres in its schools. These sites have a maximum capacity of around 1,700 and are primarily intended for vulnerable people.
The island’s civil defence office said at 13:00 local time (03:00 GMT) on Sunday that one of the evacuation sites had already reached maximum capacity and that people were being redirected to another site.
Super Typhoon Bavi has been classified by the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre as a super typhoon, with winds exceeding 150 knots (173 mph) when it arrives over the islands, and gusts reaching up to 180 knots (207 mph).
The NWS considers super typhoons to have the equivalent destructive potential as a category four or five hurricane.
Pinky Cubacub, 55, told AFP that she had been boarding up the windows of her eatery in Guam with $500 (£373) worth of plywood. “I cannot afford to lose so many days. It hurts,” she said. “Because I just started, whatever we’re making right now is just for rent, utilities, and my people, and supplies. I don’t even pay myself yet.”
Japanese tourist Miku Sakurai, 25, told AFP that her return flight to Tokyo on Sunday had been cancelled. “We will stay in the hotel when the storm comes. I am scared,” she said.
Scientists say climate change is making the region’s powerful typhoons more frequent and intense.
Bavi will be the 11th category four or five tropical cyclone to hit US territory in the past decade – one more than the total recorded in the prior 57 years.
A strong El Niño event is expected to push more tropical storms into higher intensities.
Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands have already experienced one super typhoon this year – Sinlaku in April, which killed 17 people and caused about $1.5 bn (£1.1 bn) in damage.
Warmer sea surface temperatures drive more moisture into the atmosphere, supercharging storms.
