Typhoon Mawar is triple threat to US Pacific territory Guam

Residents and US military bases across Guam braced against the potentially devastating impact from Typhoon Mawar as the Category 4-strength storm clipped the northern tip of the Pacific island.

Mawar, which was earlier downgraded from super-typhoon status, has made its closest point of approach to Guam just north of Andersen Air Force Base but will continue to batter the island for hours, the National Weather Service said on its Facebook page at 8:30 p.m. local time. An extreme wind warning remains in effect for northern Guam until 10:45 p.m.

“This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation,” said Landon Aydlett, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Guam. “There will be a swath of tornado-like damage.”