Super Typhoon Bavi Strikes Northern Mariana Islands with Winds Near 290 km/h

Super Typhoon Bavi moved over the Pacific islands with sustained winds near 290 km/h (180 mph) and gusts reaching 350 km/h, according to the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS). The storm hit Rota, the southernmost inhabited island of the Northern Mariana chain, directly, prompting the mayor's office to issue an advisory warning of destructive winds and rapidly deteriorating conditions.

The NWS forecast that typhoon-force winds would persist until early Monday afternoon, with tropical-storm-force winds expected to continue past midnight. Guam opened five evacuation centres in schools, each able to house about 1,700 people, primarily vulnerable residents. By early afternoon on Sunday, one centre had reached capacity and authorities redirected people to other sites.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center, a U.S. military agency, classified Bavi as a super typhoon, a category defined by winds exceeding 240 km/h and comparable to a Category 4 or 5 hurricane. This marks the 11th such high-intensity tropical cyclone to strike U.S. territory in the past decade.

Local business owner Pinky Cubacub said she spent $500 on plywood to board up her eatery in Guam and expressed concern about the financial impact of the storm.

"I cannot afford to lose so many days. It hurts," she told AFP. "We will stay in the hotel when the storm comes. I am scared," she added.

Scientists noted that while storms of this strength are rare for the U.S. islands, climate change is increasing the frequency of powerful typhoons. An ongoing strong El Niño event is also expected to drive more intense tropical storms in the region.