Typhoon nears US Pacific islands

PEOPLE in Guam and the Northern Marianas moved to emergency evacuation centres and made last-minute preparations yesterday, hours before a “super typhoon” was projected to bulldoze through the US Pacific territories.

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Super Typhoon Bavi was forecast to roar westwards over the area from early today with winds of 260km/h - equivalent to a category 5 hurricane - and gusts of up to 315 km/h.

The National Weather Service called the typhoon “very dangerous”, warning of “tropical storm force” winds from Sunday afternoon or evening and “catastrophic” damage near the system's center later.

“Significant flooding from torrential rains, and coastal inundation are expected,” the NWS said, with projected waves of up to 10.7m - the height of a 10-storey building - creating “extremely dangerous” conditions at sea.

Pinky Cubacub, 55, said as she boarded up the windows of her eatery in Guam that she had lined up early at the weekend to buy $500 (about R8 000) worth of plywood.

“I cannot afford to lose so many days. It hurts,” she said. “Because I just started, whatever we're making right now is just for rent, utilities, and my people, and supplies. I don't even pay myself yet.”

Call centre employee Arabella Paulino, 48, said: “My girls were saying to me it’s scary. But it will be okay.”