Guam residents awoke on Thursday morning to a scene of destruction as they assessed the aftermath of a turbulent night marked by fierce winds and lightning storms caused by Typhoon Mawar. The powerful typhoon wreaked havoc on the U.S. Pacific territory, toppling coconut and mango trees and causing widespread power outages.
In the wake of the storm, residents lined up outside the few operational shops in search of essential supplies. Many businesses remained without power or internet access, forcing them to accept only cash transactions, while some ATMs were rendered inoperable. Mawar intensified into a super typhoon as it traversed open waters, with sustained winds reaching a minimum of 150 miles per hour. Prior to midnight local time on Wednesday, the storm battered Guam with Category 4-level winds, according to a meteorologist from the National Weather Service. This made Mawar the strongest storm to hit the island in years. Although the typhoon had moved 105 miles northwest of Guam by 11 a.m. local time, typhoon warnings remained in effect.
Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties. However, the storm’s intensity damaged wind sensors and radar equipment that provided meteorological data to the local Weather Service office. Additionally, numerous trees were uprooted, including a cherished mango tree, while a video circulating on social media captured the fallen statue of Chief Kepuha, Guam’s inaugural Christian chief, in the capital city of Hagatna. As the community grapples with the aftermath of Mawar’s devastation, efforts to restore essential services and repair the extensive damage caused by the super typhoon are now underway.