Thousands without power in U.S. Pacific islands after super typhoon

Lead

Super Typhoon Bavi made landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands on Monday, bringing winds of over 150mph and causing widespread disruption across the US Pacific territories. The storm's eye passed directly over the island of Rota, where residents reported severe damage to homes and infrastructure, leaving the island without essential services. Tens of thousands of people were without power on Guam and the Northern Marianas as of Tuesday, according to reports from the region.

Coverage comparison

Reports from Al Jazeera and The Hindu—World offer complementary accounts of the storm's impact. Al Jazeera's coverage focused on the landfall and the immediate response from local authorities and the US National Weather Service, emphasizing the storm's intensity and the warnings issued to residents. The Hindu's reporting, meanwhile, centered on the aftermath, including personal accounts from Rota residents and officials describing the extent of the damage and the challenges faced by the affected communities.

Both outlets described the storm as a "super typhoon" and noted that it affected other parts of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. They also pointed out that the area was still recovering from Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which struck in mid-April. However, the specific details of the storm's wind speeds varied slightly between the reports, with Al Jazeera citing measurements from the US National Weather Service and The Hindu reporting wind speeds up to 290 kilometers per hour (180 miles per hour).

Key claims

Super Typhoon Bavi made landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands, with the eye of the storm passing over the island of Rota on Monday morning local time, as reported by Al Jazeera. The storm brought winds of over 150mph (241km/h), equivalent to a category-five hurricane, according to the US National Weather Service, a claim carried by both Al Jazeera and The Hindu, though the latter reported wind speeds up to 290 kilometers per hour (180 miles per hour).

The storm affected other parts of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, which are US territories. The Hindu reported that tens of thousands of people were without power on Guam and the Northern Marianas, and that the small island of Rota was the worst affected. Many homes on Rota suffered severe damage, with roofs torn off and water supplies knocked out, according to resident accounts cited by The Hindu.

The entire island of Rota was without essential services, including electricity, running water, and mobile network service, as confirmed by Rota resident Masum Dhali and Lou Rosario, a spokeswoman for the Municipal Operations Center on Rota, as reported by The Hindu. The Rota Mayor's office later issued the all-clear but warned residents to be cautious of live power lines, unstable buildings, floods, and debris.

The area is still recovering from Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which struck in mid-April, as noted by both Al Jazeera and The Hindu. Al Jazeera highlighted that the region is home to about 210,000 people, while The Hindu provided details on the population of specific islands: Rota has about 1,500 residents, and Saipan and Tinian are home to around 40,000 people.

The Hindu also discussed the broader effects of El Niño on tropical storms, including drought across parts of the Amazon, Indonesia, and Australia, disrupted monsoons in India, and more tropical storms and typhoons in the Pacific. This context appeared only in The Hindu's coverage.

Perspectives

Residents and local officials on Rota: Residents and officials on Rota described the severe impact of the storm, with one resident noting, "Many homes have suffered severe damage, with countless roofs completely torn off... Across the island, there is no electricity, no running water, and no mobile network service." Another, Lou Rosario, confirmed the ongoing lack of water and electricity.

US National Weather Service and local authorities: The US National Weather Service issued warnings and provided wind speed measurements, urging residents to take immediate shelter. Local authorities on Rota reported receiving reports of "major damages" but said the extent remained unclear due to difficult communications, as reported by Al Jazeera.