Guam Evacuates as Super Typhoon Bavi Nears with 160mph Winds
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- Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands ordered emergency evacuations as Super Typhoon Bavi approached, with the NWS forecasting landfall early Monday and sustained winds up to 257km/h (160mph).
- The NWS warned of "catastrophic" damage potential, with waves reaching nearly 11m (35ft), "significant flooding from torrential rains," and destructive conditions extending 8-10 hours from the storm's centre.
- Guam opened five evacuation centres in schools with a combined capacity of about 1,700 for vulnerable residents; by 13:00 local time Sunday, one site had already reached maximum capacity.
- The Joint Typhoon Warning Center classified Bavi as a super typhoon and predicted 150-knot (173mph) winds with gusts up to 180 knots (207mph) — equivalent to a Category 4 or 5 hurricane.
- Bavi will be the 11th Category 4 or 5 tropical cyclone to hit US territory in the past decade — one more than the total recorded in the prior 57 years — with scientists linking the trend to warmer seas and a strong El Niño.
- Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands were already struck by Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April, which killed 17 people and caused about $1.5bn (£1.1bn) in damage.
- Pinky Cubacub, a 55-year-old Guam restaurant owner, told AFP she spent $500 (£373) on plywood to board up her eatery, saying: "I cannot afford to lose so many days."
Why it matters: For roughly 170,000 residents of Guam and neighbouring islands, this is the second super typhoon in the same year — Sinlaku killed 17 in April and caused $1.5bn in damage. With projected 173mph winds (Category 5 equivalent) and evacuation centres already filling, the margin of safety for these US Pacific territories is narrowing fast.
