Super Typhoon Bavi Slams U.S. Island of Rota, Leaving Trail of ‘Major’ Damage
A super typhoon with the force of a Category 5 hurricane slammed into the U.S. island of Rota in the western Pacific on Monday, triggering emergency warnings and reports of 'major' damage from the territory's roughly 1,500 residents.
The National Weather Service said the western eyewall of Super Typhoon Bavi was 'currently moving over the island of Rota,' with sustained winds forecast at 180 miles per hour (290 kilometers per hour). Forecasters urged residents on social media to 'treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW!'
Lou Rosario, public information officer for the Rota Municipal Operations Center, told AFP the community was 'hanging in there' but already receiving reports of major damage from heavy winds and flooding. He added that some cellphone services were down after a tower collapsed.
The storm's eyewall brought the worst of the system directly over Rota, a southernmost island of the Northern Marianas. Meteorologist Landon Aydlett of the National Weather Service said in a Facebook Live briefing that the entire island was inside the eye, with maximum winds reaching 180 mph. He noted that neighboring islands Tinian, northern Guam, and the southern tip of Saipan experienced winds equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane.
'Super Typhoon Bavi is leaving the area,' Aydlett said. 'Gradually, conditions are going to be improving. That is great news for us. It's not going to be lingering around like Super Typhoon Sinlaku did in April.'
The Northern Marianas and nearby Guam together are home to about 210,000 people. Authorities on Guam had warned of 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) of rain, raising the risk of flash flooding.
The region is no stranger to extreme weather. Typhoon Sinlaku, which hit the island chain in April, caused widespread devastation—ripping off roofs, toppling trees, and leaving tens of thousands without power. In 2023, Super Typhoon Mawar, the strongest to hit the area in decades, inflicted similar damage.
Earlier this week, the National Weather Service had warned that a direct strike on Rota could render most of the island 'uninhabitable for weeks, perhaps longer.' In a detailed advisory, forecasters said many non-concrete, non-reinforced homes would be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. 'Nearly all trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months,' the warning read.
As the storm approached, hundreds of people took shelter at the Guam Plaza Hotel, where windows shook violently and rain flew horizontally outside. Around 70 percent of the guests were locals who had moved in for safety. The hotel's general manager, Sudipta Basu, said the property had invested $800,000 in a backup generator after Typhoon Sinlaku. 'Our generator is full and it should run for the next two to three days,' Basu told AFP.
By Sunday afternoon, roads on Guam and the Northern Marianas were nearly empty; most stores were closed, many with boarded windows. Pinky Cubacub, a 55-year-old restaurant owner on Guam, said she bought $500 worth of plywood to protect her eatery. 'I cannot afford to lose so many days. It hurts,' she said. Call center employee Arabella Paulino, 48, said her daughters were scared but added, 'My house is concrete, so the worst that can happen is a window could blow in.' Japanese tourist Miku Sakurai, 25, was stranded after her flight to Tokyo was canceled. 'I am scared,' she said.
The storm arrives amid a backdrop of extreme ocean heat. The European Union's Copernicus Marine Service reported Wednesday that the world's oceans had their hottest June on record, with potential for further highs in coming months. Warmer oceans help tropical storms intensify and carry more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall.
The World Meteorological Organization warned Friday that El Niño—a natural climate phenomenon that warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific—has already begun and is likely to be strong. El Niño typically occurs every two to seven years and can last 9 to 12 months, altering wind, pressure, and rainfall patterns worldwide. The combination of record-warm oceans and a strong El Niño raises the stakes for communities already vulnerable to powerful typhoons.