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Super Typhoon Bavi Hits U.S. Islands in the Pacific — Helpers Are Already at Work
Quick Summary
A very powerful storm called Super Typhoon Bavi struck tiny U.S. islands in the Pacific Ocean today. Emergency shelters opened ahead of the storm and community helpers sprang into action. Damage assessments are now underway.
What Happened?
A massive storm called Super Typhoon Bavi made landfall this morning on the island of Rota, a small U.S. territory in the Pacific. Rota is part of a chain of islands called the Northern Mariana Islands. Nearby Guam, about 50 miles to the south, also felt the storm’s powerful effects.
The eye of the typhoon passed directly over Rota, bringing winds of more than 150 miles per hour. That is faster than the fastest roller coaster you have ever been on — and those winds lasted for hours, not just a few seconds.
Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are both U.S. territories. Together, they are home to about 210,000 people. The National Weather Service had been warning residents for days. Shelters opened early so that families in low-lying areas and older homes could get to safety before the storm arrived.
Authorities reported downed trees, flooded roads, and power outages across several islands. Local leaders said they would begin a full damage survey as soon as it was safe to travel.
The storm is now moving away from the islands, heading west toward Asia. Experts say it could still be a powerful storm when it reaches that area later this week.
Why Does It Matter?
This is actually the second super typhoon to hit the Northern Mariana Islands in just a few months. Super Typhoon Sinlaku struck the same islands back in April. Because of that, some families were still living in temporary shelters when Bavi arrived.
Met experts note that very warm ocean water in this part of the Pacific is helping storms grow stronger. Typhoon Bavi is the third Category 5 storm on Earth this year.
The good news is that emergency teams had days of warning and worked hard to get people to safe places beforehand. Shelters were open and stocked. The Guam governor pledged to personally tour the islands at first light on Tuesday to see what help is needed.
Recovery will take time, but the community is pulling together — just as it has done after storms before.
Big Words
- Typhoon — a powerful spinning tropical storm that forms over warm ocean water in the western Pacific. In the Atlantic, we call the same type of storm a hurricane.
- Super typhoon — a typhoon with maximum sustained winds of at least 150 miles per hour. That is the same as a Category 5 hurricane.
- Landfall — the moment when a storm’s center moves from the ocean onto land.
- Territory — a place that belongs to a country but is not a full state or province. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands belong to the United States.
- Eyewall — the ring of extremely powerful thunderstorms right around the calm center (the eye) of a tropical storm, where winds are the strongest.
Fun Fact
The word “typhoon” most likely comes from the Chinese words “tai fung,” meaning “great wind.” Sailors have been using the word for hundreds of years to describe the fierce storms of the western Pacific.
Think About It
Emergency teams warned people days before the typhoon arrived, which helped families get to safety. Why do you think having early warning systems for storms is so important — especially for island communities?
Sources
- NPR — ‘Super Typhoon Bavi brings destruction to Guam and surrounding Pacific islands’ (updated July 6, 2026)
- Al Jazeera — ‘Super Typhoon Bavi makes landfall on US Pacific islands’ (July 6, 2026)
- Yale Climate Connections — ‘Super Typhoon Bavi becomes the 3rd Cat 5 of 2026’
- Hawaii News Now / AP — ‘Super Typhoon Bavi makes landfall on Rota with destructive winds’