Super Typhoon Sinlaku, the most powerful storm of the year, is barrelling towards remote US islands in the Pacific Ocean. The National Weather Service has warned that the storm is expected to make landfall in the Northern Mariana Islands on Tuesday, bringing destructive winds, heavy rain, and significant flooding.
The US territory of Guam, home to around 170,000 residents and American military installations, is under a tropical storm warning, with damaging winds expected from Monday. The US Coast Guard issued flood and high wind warnings over the weekend.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported that Sinlaku had sustained winds of 173 mph (278 kph) on Monday as it approached the islands of Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. Although a slight weakening is forecast, the storm is still expected to cross near the islands as a Category 4 or 5 typhoon.
Approximately 50,000 people live on the three islands, with the majority on Saipan, known for its resorts and tourism. In Guam, which suffered widespread power outages during Typhoon Mawar in 2023, US military officials have instructed personnel to prepare and shelter in place.
President Donald Trump approved emergency disaster declarations for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands on Saturday, enabling additional support for emergency services. Super typhoons are intense tropical cyclones in the northwestern Pacific, equivalent to Category 4 or 5 hurricanes, with winds of at least 150 mph (240 kph).
