Super Typhoon Bavi strikes Northern Mariana Islands and Guam

Super Typhoon Bavi struck the western Pacific U.S. territories on Monday, with the storm’s eye passing over Rota in the Northern Mariana Islands and delivering sustained winds exceeding 150 mph (241 km/h). The National Weather Service reported the cyclone moving westward at about 9 mph (14 km/h) toward the Philippines.

Meteorologists warned of “imminent danger to life” and advised residents to stay in interior rooms away from windows, noting that exposure could be fatal from flying debris and downed power lines. The storm, classified as a Category 5 super typhoon with potential gusts up to 215 mph (346 km/h), was expected to produce at least 20 inches (51 cm) of rain across the region.

Guam’s governor, Lou Leon Guerrero, urged people to remain at home or in designated shelters, emphasizing the territory’s preparedness for severe weather. On Saipan, the international airport recorded wind gusts over 100 mph (161 km/h), and many residents continued to experience power outages from a previous cyclone in April.

Typhoon and flash-flood warnings were issued for Guam, Tinian and Saipan, while tropical-storm watches covered other nearby islands. Authorities indicated that, although Bavi moved through the area faster than the earlier storm Sinlaku, the islands could still face tropical-storm conditions and heavy rainfall through Monday night.