Super Typhoon Sinlaku Slams US Islands With Ferocious Winds

Super Typhoon Sinlaku, the strongest storm on Earth this year, battered the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam with sustained winds of up to 240 km/h, causing widespread flooding and structural destruction.

The storm pounded the islands of Tinian and Saipan for several hours before daybreak Wednesday. Residents reported shredded tin roofs and flying tree limbs as the system slowed, prolonging the damage across the islands, which are home to nearly 50,000 people.

Glen Hunter, a resident of Saipan, described the storm as the strongest he has weathered. He reported that rain seeped into every crevice of his concrete home, stating that “every house is just flooded with water, no matter what type of structure you’re in.”

Mayor Ramon (RB) Jose Blas Camacho of Saipan noted the extreme difficulty of rescue operations due to the heavy rain and wind. He observed wooden and tin structures collapsing and reported that the wind was powerful enough to bend the glass door of his office.

The Scale of Super Typhoon Sinlaku

Super typhoons are the equivalent of Category 4 or 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic. Sinlaku crossed the islands as a Category 4 typhoon, with the National Weather Service noting that such systems are unusual for the month of April.

Landon Aydlett, a meteorologist with the weather service, warned that the storm’s slow movement would make for a difficult night for residents. He suggested that many people would “wake up to a different island” following the storm’s passage.

In Guam, a U.S. territory with approximately 170,000 residents and several military installations, tropical force winds and torrential rainfall triggered flash flooding. U.S. military officials ordered personnel to shelter in place.

Before reaching the Northern Marianas, the storm caused significant damage to the outer islands and atolls of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia.

U.S. President Donald Trump approved emergency disaster declarations for Guam and the Mariana Islands ahead of the storm. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is currently coordinating support and has dispatched nearly 100 staff members to the region.