Guam Prepares for “Strong” Super Typhoon Mawar’s “direct impact”

Typhoon Mawar is “believed to make a direct hit” on Guam, according to the National Weather Service office on the U.S. island, after intensifying into a hazardous Category 4 storm on Tuesday.

Guam, a territory with a population of 168,000 and 3 U.S. military sites there, was expected to get the storm’s eye Wednesday evening at local time. A severe storm warning was issued by NWS Guam owing to heavy rains for the whole island throughout at least Thursday AM.

In a Facebook Live video from the U.S. territory, NWS alert coordinator meteorologist Landon Aydlett stated that the slow-moving storm had sustained maximum winds of 140 mph roughly 45 miles east-southeast of Guam on Wednesday at around 1 p.m. local time.

The trees are twisting downwards, he continued, and we are facing “severe tropical storm situations” and “nearly whiteout situations.” Trees have fallen in our area.”