Typhoon Champi Veers West at Last Moment, Brushing Southern Guam; Power System Avoids Total Failure as Damage Checks Begin
Category 4 Typhoon Champi narrowly missed Guam early on Sunday, October 18, after making a last-minute turn westward that kept its most destructive winds largely offshore, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ). The National Weather Service in Guam had issued an extreme wind warning for southern Guam valid until 5:30 a.m. local time Sunday; at 1:12 a.m. Sunday, Champi's maximum sustained winds near Guam were about 140 mph.
According to Guam's emergency bulletin issued at 12:45 p.m. local time on October 18, the island's power system avoided total failure and much of the main hotel district retained electricity. GSM previously reported that Guam had moved to its highest readiness level ahead of the storm, opened six emergency shelters and ordered targeted evacuations, and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had approved a federal emergency declaration for Guam. Damage assessments and safety inspections are now under way, with beaches, attractions and roads to reopen only after individual checks. (GSM, following RNZ and Guam emergency bulletins)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：关岛图蒙湾资料照片。摄影：Luke Ma／Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 2.0。File photo: Tumon Bay, Guam. Photo by Luke Ma via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
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