Evacuations in Guam as Super Typhoon Bavi Looms

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are locking into emergency evacuations as Super Typhoon Bavi hurtles toward the U.S. Pacific territories. The storm, which the US National Weather Service (NWS) expects to strike early Monday, carries winds up to 257 km/h (160 mph) and waves that may reach 11 metres (35 ft). The NWS describes the dangerous storm as capable of causing catastrophic damage and “significant flooding from torrential rains.”

Rain falls in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, ahead of Super Typhoon Bavi
Rain falls in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, ahead of Super Typhoon Bavi.

Guam, with a population of about 170,000, has opened five evacuation centres located in schools. Each centre can host approximately 300 residents, but one shelter has already reached full capacity, prompting authorities to redirect evacuees to other facilities. The civil‑defence office noted at 1300 local time that the window for evacuation is rapidly closing, warning people with vulnerable properties of “deadly threat to those venturing outside.”

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) designates Bavi as a super typhoon—an event with winds exceeding 130 knots (150 mph). JTWC projects the storm to sustain 150 knots (173 mph) with gusts up to 180 knots (207 mph) as it passes over the islands. The NWS equates a super typhoon’s destructive potential to a category‑four or five hurricane.

Restaurant workers board up a restaurant ahead of Super Typhoon Bavi
Restaurant workers board up a restaurant in Guam as the storm approaches.

Local business owner Pinky Cubacub says she has spent $500 on plywood to protect her eatery. “I cannot afford to lose this place for so many days,” she explained to AFP, citing the need to safeguard rent, utilities, and supplies.

The typhoon’s intensity is attributed in part to the strong El Niño event, which enhances sea‑surface temperatures and injects more moisture into the atmosphere, amplifying storm power. This season marks the 11th category‑four‑to‑five tropical cyclone to hit U.S. territory in a decade—more than in the previous 57 years—and signals a rise in frequency and intensity that climate scientists warn may not stall.

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands already suffered a super typhoon earlier in 2026, Sinlaku, when 17 lives were lost and roughly $1.5 bn in damage was reported. Residents are urged to heed official evacuation orders, secure property, and avoid venturing outdoors until the threat passes.