The US territory of Rota is facing “significant destruction” after Super Typhoon Bavi struck the western Pacific on Monday, unleashing catastrophic winds and torrential rain that have knocked out communications and threatened critical American military assets stationed across the Northern Mariana Islands.
A ferocious storm packing wind gusts of up to 290 kilometres per hour (180 mph) made landfall on Rota, triggering flash flooding and structural damage across the island chain. A typhoon is classified as a “super typhoon” when sustained wind speeds reach 241 km/h (150 mph) or higher, equivalent to a powerful Category 4 or 5 hurricane.
Authorities on Rota reported severe damage as the eyewall passed over the island. “We are holding up. We have very strong wind and flooding here… Some are already reporting major damage,” said Lou Rosario, a public information officer for the Rota municipal operations centre. Rosario added that mobile phone service had partially collapsed after a communications tower was toppled by the extreme conditions.
The proximity of the storm to Guam has put key US military infrastructure on high alert. Guam hosts Andersen Air Force Base, a critical hub where the US Air Force rotates its bomber fleet — including B-1, B-2 and B-52 aircraft — as well as a naval base that serves as the home port for five fast-attack submarines. More than 7,000 active-duty US service members are stationed on the island.
The storm also threatens nearby Tinian, where the US is currently reconstructing an airfield intended to serve as an alternative basing option for Guam. This project is a cornerstone of Washington’s strategy to disperse its forces across the region in the event of a major conflict.
As conditions deteriorated, the US National Weather Service issued a stark warning to residents sheltering in the path of the storm: “Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter!”
