A powerful super typhoon, the strongest so far this year, is threatening to wreak havoc on a cluster of remote US islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Super Typhoon Sinlaku is expected to make landfall in the Northern Mariana Islands Tuesday, bringing with it destructive winds, widespread heavy rainfall, and significant flooding, according to the National Weather Service.
The US territory of Guam, home to American military installations and roughly 170,000 residents, is also under a tropical storm warning, with damaging winds expected to begin Monday.
The US Coast Guard had already issued flood and high wind warnings over the weekend.
The tropical cyclone was generating sustained winds of 173 mph (278 kph) Monday as it approached the islands of Rota, Tinian, and Saipan, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported.
While a slight weakening is forecast over the coming days, Sinlaku is still expected to cross near the islands as a Category 4 or 5 typhoon.
About 50,000 people live on the three islands, with most on Saipan, known for its laid-back resorts, snorkeling, and golf as well as the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands.
In Guam, which experienced widespread power outages during Typhoon Mawar in 2023, US military officials have instructed personnel to prepare for the storm and shelter in place.
President Donald Trump approved emergency disaster declarations for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands Saturday, facilitating additional support for emergency services.
A super typhoon is the designation given to intense tropical cyclones that form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, where the Earth's most powerful storms typically originate.
Monitored by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Guam, these storms are equivalent to Category 4 or 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic, featuring winds of at least 150 mph (240 kph).
More than 300 super typhoons have been identified since the warning centre began using the term in 1947.
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