On July 7, tens of thousands of people on Guam Island and the Northern Mariana Islands were without power after Super Typhoon Ba Vi swept through US islands in the Pacific, but no deaths were recorded, AFP reported.
The small island of Rota is the most heavily affected after suffering a direct attack from Super Typhoon Ba Vi with winds of up to 290 km/h, knocking down trees and power lines, disrupting water supply. Rota Mayor Aubry Hocog said she was informed that two people were injured without life-threatening danger but "no deaths have been confirmed".
Ms. Hocog said that more than "50% of the island's area has been damaged, and this number could be even higher", and said that the complete restoration of power supply could take "2-3 months".
There is still a long line of people queuing to get water. CUC utility company is distributing water according to a maximum quota of 95 liters per household to ensure enough for everyone," she added.
Saipan and Tinian, the two main islands of the Northern Mariana Islands with about 40,000 people, also lost power, along with some areas of Guam nearby. In Guam, less than 80km from Rota, fallen trees, broken street lights and rocks scattered on the roads. AFP recorded at least one car overturned.
Except for Rota, the damage in this area with about 210,000 people is less serious than after super typhoon Sinlaku made landfall in April.
According to the European Union's Copernicus Marine Service, the oceans just experienced the hottest June ever recorded and may set new records in the coming months. Warmer oceans help tropical storms strengthen and bring more humidity, which can fall in the form of heavy rain. Contributing to this situation is also the return of El Nino this year, a natural climate phenomenon that warms the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean.
