Residents of U.S. territories in the western Pacific are bracing for a possible super typhoon, just months after the region was hit by the strongest tropical cyclone on Earth this year.
Power has not yet been fully restored in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands following Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April, which brought strong winds and heavy rains. Some residents are still living in tents after their homes were destroyed.
Typhoon Bavi was forecast to become a super typhoon by Sunday night or early Monday, according to meteorologists with the National Weather Service on Guam. A cyclone is classified as a super typhoon when its maximum sustained winds reach 150 mph (241 kph) or stronger, equivalent to a high-end Category 4 or Category 5 hurricane.
On Friday, Bavi was located 760 miles (1,223 kilometers) east of Guam with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (129 kph). Some residents expressed hope that Guam might experience the brunt of Bavi to provide a reprieve for the Northern Marianas as they continue to recover from Sinlaku.
Residents on Saipan are preparing for the potential impact by covering windows with plywood and stocking gasoline, recalling the long lines at gas stations that followed Sinlaku. Church workers and residents are also making preparations, with some noting that typhoon preparedness is becoming a more frequent occurrence.
Experts suggest that El Niño, a natural warming cycle, increases hurricane season activity in the Pacific. This cycle is expected to further warm the globe due to fossil fuel pollution, potentially intensifying extreme weather events worldwide.
Sinlaku did not cause deaths on land, but six crew members of a cargo ship that capsized during the typhoon were lost. While recovery efforts have progressed, residents note that the process is ongoing and that more time would have been beneficial for full restoration.
Guam, west of the International Date Line, is known as "Where America's Day Begins" and hosts two large U.S. military bases.