Super Typhoon Bavi Impacts CNMI and Guam with Catastrophic Winds and Heavy Rain

By Amin Sobhani, NLIHC DHR Intern and Noah Patton, NLIHC Director of Disaster Recovery 

Super Typhoon Bavi brought catastrophic winds, heavy rainfall, coastal flooding, and dangerous surf to Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) on Monday, July 6. Ahead of the storm’s arrival, the National Weather Service in Guam issued a Typhoon Warning for Guam and the CNMI islands of Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. As the storm reached the Marianas, the National Weather Service reported maximum sustained winds of 180 miles per hour, with gusts potentially exceeding 215 miles per hour, and Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense confirmed that Bavi made a direct passage over Rota, where an Extreme Wind Warning was in effect. 

The storm also brought damaging winds, heavy rain, flooding threats, power outages, and shelter needs to Guam, Tinian, and Saipan. The American Red Cross reported that disaster teams were assessing impacts on Guam and Saipan and working to reach the hardest-hit areas on Rota and Tinian. Saipan International Airport recorded wind gusts of more than 100 miles per hour, while parts of the region were forecast to receive at least 20 inches of rain. 

Initial reports indicate significant infrastructure and lifeline disruptions across CNMI. The CNMI Joint Information Center reported widespread impacts to power, water, wastewater, transportation, and shelter operations after Bavi’s passage. Power and water disruptions affected communities across Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, and shelters remained open for residents impacted by the storm. 

Guam also prepared for storm-related impacts and shelter needs. Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense opened emergency shelters ahead of Bavi’s arrival as officials urged residents to remain indoors during the height of the storm. 

Initial reports also point to serious housing impacts, especially for households already living in vulnerable conditions after earlier storms. The American Red Cross documented damage to homes on Guam and Saipan, including a severely damaged uninsured homeowner’s house on Guam and new damage to a Saipan home that still had roof tarps from Super Typhoon Sinlaku. The Red Cross also reported that more than 2,500 people were living in tents or homes with compromised roofs after Sinlaku when Bavi brought additional damage to the region. 

Bavi comes less than three months after Super Typhoon Sinlaku struck the same islands, creating a compounding disaster context for residents still working to recover. This overlapping disaster context could increase shelter needs, delay repairs, strain local response capacity, and make it harder for low-income households and uninsured or underinsured homeowners to complete safe and durable repairs. 

Federal emergency declarations were approved ahead of the storm for both Guam and CNMI, with incident periods beginning July 2 and continuing. These declarations authorize federal support for emergency protective measures, and direct federal assistance as response and recovery efforts continue. 

The housing recovery implications of Bavi could be significant, particularly for Rota where conditions were the worst, and for households across the islands already affected by Sinlaku. Early concerns include roof and structural damage, power and water outages, temporary shelter needs, debris removal, access to damaged neighborhoods, health and medical continuity, and the ability of residents to make urgent repairs. These challenges may be especially difficult for low-income households, renters, older adults, people with disabilities, households with limited insurance coverage, and residents living in older or less resilient housing. 

NLIHC and the NLIHC-led Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition will continue monitoring Bavi’s impacts on the lowest-income households and other marginalized residents across Guam and CNMI. Particular attention should be paid to whether emergency shelter and recovery resources are accessible, whether households with limited insurance coverage can complete repairs, and whether future recovery resources prioritize the households least able to recover without support. 

Along with governmental efforts, nonprofit and community-based organizations are already responding to Typhoon Bavi. You can donate to support the Micronesia Climate Change Alliance, which is providing mutual aid assistance across the archipelago here. 

Read FEMA’s hurricane and typhoon preparedness guidance at Ready.gov. Download the FEMA app to receive real-time weather and emergency alerts and find disaster preparedness and recovery resources.