The island of Guam, territory of the United States in the Pacific, is preparing for the imminent arrival of Typhoon Mawar on Wednesday, which could cause floods and heavy rains, already leading to the evacuation of the most exposed populations.
“A pass very close or directly over Guam is imminent,” warned the American weather forecast, which now considers Mawar a category 4 typhoon, and no longer a “super typhoon”, due to a slowdown in the weather. recorded winds.
However, the typhoon “could strengthen slightly as it approaches Guam”, an island of nearly 170,000 inhabitants, she warned.
As of 8 a.m. Wednesday (2200 GMT Tuesday), the typhoon was some 120 km off the coast, according to the latest weather report.
Strong winds with gusts of up to 282 km per hour in the heart of the typhoon are expected. They could cause significant damage on the island, particularly to light infrastructure.
The most violent are expected around 5 p.m. local time, it is specified.
The arrival of the typhoon also raises fears of potentially fatal coastal flooding phenomena for Guam and Rota, another American island in the Mariana Islands archipelago.
It is “likely” that the tide will exceed its normal level by 2 to 3 meters, warned the weather services, warning that the boats “could be torn from their moorings”.
It could even be in the range of 6 to 8 meters “if the worst case scenario” occurs.
Authorities also expect the typhoon to bring torrential rains and cause flooding.
Forecasts say 25 to 38 cm of rain — and more than 50 cm in places — could fall.
Faced with these risks of coastal submersion, the authorities of Guam ordered the evacuation of the population on the island’s waterfront and asked everyone to “seek shelter immediately” upstream from the destructive winds of 140 km/h or more which are expected from Wednesday morning.
“I am concerned for the safety of our people. This is the most powerful storm in 20 years,” Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero said.
The official called on residents to “take shelter immediately”.
Already, US President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency for Guam on Tuesday so that federal aid can be provided to the island, according to a statement from the White House.
Nearly 22,000 US service members and their families are based in Guam, an island that sees US long-range bombers and nuclear attack submarines.
The island is also home to the United States’ main reserves of fuel and ammunition in the Pacific.
About 60 flights departing from or arriving in Guam and scheduled between Tuesday and Thursday have been canceled, A.B. Won Pat International Airport said.
The weather situation should improve on Thursday.
05/24/2023 02:27:34 – Los Angeles (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
