According to the US National Weather Service (NWS), from the morning of July 6, Super Typhoon Bavi will sweep through Guam and the North Mariana Islands of the US in the Western Pacific with sustained winds of about 260 km/h, gusts up to 315 km/h, equivalent to a Category 5 super typhoon.
NWS warned that this is a "very dangerous" storm, which could cause catastrophic damage in the area near the storm center.
Strong tropical storm winds are forecast to appear from the afternoon and evening of July 5, accompanied by the risk of heavy rain, flash floods, coastal flooding and sea waves up to about 10.7 m high, creating extremely dangerous conditions at sea.
In Guam, many people have taken advantage of buying materials to reinforce their homes and businesses. Some families choose to evacuate to hotels or shelters for fear of strong winds, while many flights to and from the island have also been canceled.
The North Mariana Islands have about 40,000 people, and Guam has about 170,000 people. According to the latest forecast, the storm's eye will pass near Rota Island - located between Guam and Saipan Island - where about 1,500 residents live.
Rota Island Mayor Aubry Hocog called on people to comply with disaster prevention measures to ensure safety for themselves and the community.
To respond to the storm, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has mobilized forces to Guam and prepared 1.1 million liters of water, 1.2 million meals, 6,700 folding beds and 90 generators for relief work.
The NWS also warned that the time to evacuate or find shelter is gradually closing. The Guam government has opened 5 evacuation centers at schools with a capacity of about 1,900 people, prioritizing vulnerable households.
Previously, in mid-April, Super Typhoon Sinlaku caused heavy damage in this area when tens of thousands of households lost power, uprooted many green trees, overturned cars and blew off roofs of many structures. A cargo ship capsized due to engine failure during the storm, killing one sailor and leaving 5 people missing.
In that context, international meteorological organizations also continue to warn of the increasing risk of strong storms due to record high ocean temperatures.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service said that June was the hottest June ever recorded globally. Meanwhile, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said that the El Niño phenomenon has formed in the tropical Pacific and is likely to continue to strengthen in the near future.
