GUAM: Guam’s governor has urged residents island territory to stay home, warning that the island could take a direct hit from Typhoon Mawar, which is strengthening as it heads towards the western Pacific territory.
Governor Lou Leon Guerrero urged the nearly 171,000 citizens island territory to remain calm and prepare for the cyclone.
The governor said, “Mawar is the threat and the possible direct hit to our island.”
The weather service said Mawar could strongly hit the southern part of Guam at about midday local time on Wednesday.
Patrick Doll, lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Guam, said, “If we do not take the direct hit, it’s going to be very close,”
Weather authorities said the powerful storm is expected to arrive as a 225-kilometre-per-hour Category 4 typhoon, possibly delivering the massive hit to the island in 20 years.
#Guam first light Typhoon #Mawar on approach. The view over Tumon Bay pic.twitter.com/Znf9AHUc5Y
— Jim Edds (@ExtremeStorms) May 22, 2023
#typhoon #mawar is now a cat 4 and that eye is clearing out – wouldn’t be at all surprised if it becomes a super typhoon over the next 24hrs pic.twitter.com/SEQyvs3wuH
— James Reynolds (@EarthUncutTV) May 23, 2023
The governor said she would place Guam in an effective lockdown from 1 pm on Tuesday and urged citizens to take the warnings seriously and be prepared. Emergency shelters were available, she said.
The weather service said A storm surge of 1.8 to 3 metres above the normal high tide was expected, with warnings that it could be as much as 4.6 metres. Surf was expected to build sharply in the next day or two along the south- and east-facing reefs, with dangerous surf of 6 to 7.6 metres Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday.
