People in Guam and the Northern Marianas readied themselves on Saturday as the second "super typhoon" to threaten the US Pacific territories since April drew closer, bringing the equivalent of category-5 hurricane winds.
Bavi was several hundred kilometers east of the archipelago with sustained winds of 259 kilometers per hour (161 miles per hour), and gusts of 314 kph (195 mph), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) said in an update at 7:00 am Guam time (2100 GMT Friday).
"Current forecast tracks continue to indicate a grim outlook for the Marianas," the US National Weather Service warned. "All residents across Guam and the (Northern Mariana Islands) should plan for and anticipate at least tropical storm conditions."
The islands' roughly 200,000 inhabitants queued at gas stations in recent days and thronged hardware stores to buy plywood and supermarkets for food, bottled water and other essentials.
Jeff Garcia, 48, who lives in Kagman Village in the Northern Marianas, told AFP that safety was the top priority, adding that they had "weathered super typhoons before."
"We bought basic needs like water, candles, batteries, and canned goods... As a community, our greatest defense is our unity, our preparation, and our discipline," he said.
Plans for celebrating the United States's 250th anniversary on Saturday have been quickly overtaken by storm preparations, with both Guam and the Northern Marianas declaring a state of emergency.
Workers at the Pacific Islands Club Saipan resort were boarding up windows, securing outdoor furniture and equipment, checking alarm systems and stocking first aid kits on Friday.
"We're all working together to reduce damage and make sure we're ready to respond once the storm passes," the resort's sports, entertainment and activities manager Reymark Castro, 35, told AFP.
