Super typhoon Mawar has strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it approaches Guam, a US territory.
Super Typhoon Mawar is Now a Category 4 Storm
Super Typhoon Mawar, the strongest storm to strike Guam in decades, was reportedly a Category 4 storm when it made landfall there on May 24 morning.
Mawar crossed the Rota strait and just missed the northern United States. Pacific region at about nine o'clock. According to the National Weather Service in Guam, a storm hit the island at 10:45 PM local time with gusts that were over 115 mph and caused damage like a tornado. According to the government agency, the typhoon's eye passed over Guam's northern point at roughly 8:45 PM, delivering winds of up to 145 MPH.
According to the latest typhoon advisory from NBC News, the typhoon is currently 15 miles north of Guam and is moving at a speed of 8 MPH toward the northwest.
Life Threatening Weather
The National Weather Service's warning coordinator, Landon Aydlett, declared that the situation was extremely risky and life-threatening.
Residents were advised to "take cover now" and stay away from windows as the severity of the situation was predicted to lessen as of Thursday, May 25 morning local time. Following the hurricane, many households are reportedly without electricity.
According to the Homeland Security department in Guam, Mawar could pose a "triple threat" because it will likely bring deadly storm surges, strong winds that can reach Category 4 storm levels, and copious rainfall, 600 KOGO NewsRadio reports.
The strongest tropical cyclone to slam the US island territory in decades, Typhoon Mawar struck Guam on Wednesday local time as a Category 4 storm, bringing powerful gusts, torrential rainfall, and extensive power disruptions.
Weather experts had warned of a "triple threat" with strong winds, heavy rain, and a "life-threatening storm surge," and predicted it might be the biggest storm to hit the island in 60 years.
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Flash Floods, Extreme Wind, Evacuations
Flash floods and extreme wind advisories are still in effect for Guam, and it can be some time before the entire scope of the devastation is understood.
As soon as the winds start to subside, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero said she will do her initial damage assessment, but she is already aware of home damage and at least one rescue operation in which eight people were brought to a shelter, NPR reports.
Guerrero issued an executive order that required the evacuation of low-lying areas and called in the National Guard to help transport residents to shelters. He forewarned Biden in a letter that the typhoon is anticipated to significantly damage the island.
Guerrero predicts that the situation will be so severe and large-scale that the Guam government won't be able to respond effectively and that additional federal assistance will be required to save lives, protect property, the public's health and safety, and lessen the effects of this impending catastrophe.
Guerrero urges the citizens to maintain their calm, keep educated, and, most importantly, be ready, NBC News reports.
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