Guam residents are being advised to stay out of the water as the island was placed under a typhoon watch Saturday, meaning typhoon-force winds of 74 mph or greater are possible within 48 hours.
The storm is expected to produce tropical storm-force winds of 39 mph or greater beginning Monday morning, with typhoon winds beginning Monday evening.
As of 11 a.m. Saturday, Tropical Storm Sinlaku was located at 8.5 degrees north latitude and 151.5 degrees east longitude, or about 570 miles southeast of Guam.
The storm had winds of 70 mph and was nearly stationary, according to the National Weather Service.
Sinlaku is expected to continue intensifying and make a turn to the north-northwest on Sunday, heading toward the Marianas.
The storm is forecast to pass over or near Guam late Monday and early Tuesday, possibly crossing Guam as a Category 3 or Category 4 typhoon, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph or more.
Residents can expect increasing winds with conditions deteriorating sometime late Sunday.
Sinlaku is expected to produce 15 to 20 inches of rainfall between Sunday night and Wednesday for Guam. As showers are likely to persist, consistent rainfall is likely to produce flash floods and saturate the soil enough to increase the chance for mudslides over central to southern Guam.
Dangerous waters
A high surf advisory, with waves from 8 to 12 feet, is in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday.
There is a high risk of rip currents for Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan through Thursday afternoon.
A small craft advisory is in effect for Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan coastal waters, with winds of 20-25 knots and seas of 9 to 13 feet.
Get ready for the storm
- If movement out of your home is necessary ahead of the storm, have a shelter plan now. Coordinate now with family and friends regarding relocation or plan for movement once the government of Guam emergency shelter locations are announced.
- Clear drainage areas and unblock storm drains to minimize flooding.
- Stay up to date with the latest information.
- Clear loose debris around your yard and store any items that may become airborne with heavy winds, such as canopies, tarps, and trampolines, before inclement weather arrives.
- Secure construction sites
- Take down signs
- Have an emergency kit prepared: Store enough food and water for your household for 7-10 days. Include medication, disinfectant supplies and pet supplies.
- Secure important documents such as birth certificates, tax papers, and insurance documents and keep copies in a water-proof bag.
- Review your emergency plan: If you do not have a plan, learn how to create an emergency plan; Have plans for your family members and pets. If you are a person with disabilities or a caregiver for elderly, you may need to take extra steps to plan for those additional needs.
- Get emergency alerts: Stay informed by having a weather alert radio, battery-operated, or hand-crank radio, where you can listen to emergency news.
- Gas your vehicles and get fuel for your generators.
- Pull cash from the ATM in case of power outages.
- Don’t drive through flood waters: Almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. When in your car, look out for flooding in low-lying areas at bridges and at highway dips. As little as 6 inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
Guam prepares
- The Department of Public Works has pre-staged heavy equipment in flood-prone areas and has begun clearing poor drainage areas, in partnership with village mayors’ offices.
- The Guam Power Authority continues tree-trimming, especially around water well areas.
- The Guam Waterworks Authority is completing water and wastewater system preparations
- The U.S. Coast Guard cutters homeported in Apra Harbor are scheduled to depart the island ahead of tropical storm force winds. This is standard practice and is not a withdrawal of support. Repositioning preserves the cutter crews’ ability to return quickly and respond to post-storm emergencies, including search and rescue, once it is safe to operate.
Check with airlines
The A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam advises all passengers to sign up for mobile alerts and SMS messaging with their airlines to avoid unnecessary travel to the airport during unsafe weather conditions. Regularly check inbound and outbound flight status on their respective airline’s website, mobile applications. Flight status information is also available at www.guamairport.com.
GRMC temporarily suspends certain operations
The Guam Regional Medical City (GRMC) is temporarily suspending clinic operations, rehabilitation, and OR services, one stop laboratory and radiology services, from April 13 to 15.
Visitation will also be temporarily suspended beginning 9 p.m. Sunday. Only designated patient watchers/overnighters will be allowed to remain with patients.
Patients with affected appointments will be contacted directly by GRMC to assist with rescheduling and coordination of care. GRMC will continue to maintain essential hospital services, including 24/7 Emergency Room operations and inpatient care.
