Warnings issued as super typhoon takes aim at US islands

WorldEnvironment
13 Apr 2026 • 11:51 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Warnings issued as super typhoon takes aim at US islands

  • Super Typhoon Sinlaku, the strongest storm of the year so far, is forecast to make landfall in the Northern Mariana Islands Tuesday, bringing destructive winds, heavy rainfall, and significant flooding.
  • The US territory of Guam, which hosts American military installations, is also under a tropical storm warning, with damaging winds expected to begin Monday.
  • The tropical cyclone is generating sustained winds of 173 mph (278 kph) and is anticipated to cross near the islands as a Category 4 or 5 typhoon. A super typhoon is a name given to the strongest tropical cyclones that brew in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, where Earth’s most intense storms usually form.
  • US military officials have instructed personnel in Guam to prepare for the storm and shelter in place, recalling widespread power outages during Typhoon Mawar in 2023.
  • President Donald Trump approved emergency disaster declarations for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands Saturday, facilitating additional support for emergency services.

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