Residents prepare as Typhoon Dolphin approaches Guam
This satellite image provided by NOAA, shows Typhoon Dolphin near Guam, Friday, May 15, 2015. Residents in Guam are bracing for potentially damaging winds and flooding as the typhoon approaches the U.S. territory. (NOAA via AP)
HAGATNA, Guam — Residents in Guam are bracing for potentially damaging winds and flooding as Typhoon Dolphin approaches the U.S. territory Friday.
Senior meteorologist Mike Middlebrooke of the National Weather Service said the typhoon’s center is about 200 miles east of Guam and is moving northwest at 16 miles per hour.
Satellite estimates put the winds near the center of the storm at about 130 miles per hour, he said, with maximum sustained winds around 110 miles per hour. Gusts on Guam are currently being recorded at around 50 miles per hour.
The storm is expected to pass close to northern Guam around 6 p.m. Friday, with higher winds expected on the northern side of the island.
Middlebrooke cautioned that the system could deviate, so meteorologists are “watching it real close.”
Five public schools are serving as emergency shelters for 748 residents. Twenty-four pregnant women have checked-in to Guam Memorial Hospital, according to Gov. Eddie Calvo’s office.
Guam was already getting some surf, with a beach on the eastern coast reporting 16-foot waves.
National Weather Service meteorologist Genny Miller said the agencies will likely maintain high-surf advisories for 24 hours after the typhoon passes.
Some airlines canceled flights scheduled to arrive or depart Guam on Friday.
Authorities have warned residents in low-lying areas to be on the lookout for flooding and to move to higher ground if necessary.
Officials say no one except public safety and emergency response personnel should be outdoors after 5 a.m. Friday.
Typhoons are the same as hurricanes and cyclones. Distinctive terms for the storms are used in different parts of the world.
Tropical weather frequently affects Guam, so much so U.S. military officers like to say it’s located in “Typhoon Alley.” Three typhoons have affected Guam in the past eight months, including Dolphin.
But the island rarely gets direct hits from typhoons because its land area is so small. The last direct hit was in 2002, when a super typhoon, Pongsona, killed one and caused about $250 million in damage.
There are two U.S. military bases in Guam, Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam. Both were closed Friday to everyone except for essential personnel.
A Navy telephone hotline message warned people not to drive and to avoid going outside. There are about 4,000 sailors assigned to Guam along with 6,500 dependents.
A typhoon preparation guide on Andersen’s website notes Navy and Air Force housing on Guam is constructed with reinforced concrete, enabling them to withstand high typhoon winds. The site encourages people to check their storm shutters ahead of time to make sure they are working and to stay inside.
The Air Force says more than 5,000 airmen and their family members live on Guam.
