Guam evacuated its coastal communities in anticipation of the arrival of Mawar, a giant hurricane expected to hit the American Pacific island as of Wednesday, with winds up to 225 km/h, according to the latest US weather bulletin. The meteorologist said in his bulletin that “Typhoon Mawar is expected to pass south of or over Guam.”
She added that this giant cyclone (super typhoon) poses a “triple threat” as it could bring “strong winds” and “heavy rain” and lead to “coastal flooding that could be deadly.” And meteorologists warned in their bulletin that this threat is not limited to Guam, but also includes Rota, another American island in the Marianas archipelago.
Due to the risk of coastal flooding, Guam authorities have ordered coastal residents to evacuate and “shelter immediately,” noting that forecasters expect the hurricane to bring destructive winds of over 140 km/h upon arrival on Wednesday. The population of Guam is about 170,000 people.
“I am concerned for the safety of our residents. This is the worst storm in 20 years,” Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero said, urging them to “shelter immediately.” Since Tuesday, President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in Guam so federal authorities can provide aid to the island, according to the White House. About 22,000 American soldiers and their families are stationed on Guam.
AP Won Pat International Airport said the typhoon canceled about 60 flights scheduled to land or depart Guam between Tuesday and Thursday.
