Evacuations in Guam as super typhoon Bavi approaches - BBC News

The storm is forecast to bring winds in excess of 160mph and waves nearly 11m high when it makes landfall on Monday.

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Rain falls in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, ahead of super typhoon Bavi's arrival

Emergency evacuations are taking place in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a super typhoon bears down on the US Pacific territories.

Bavi is forecast to make landfall early on Monday morning, with winds of up to 257km/h (160mph), according to the US National Weather Service (NWS).

It warned the "very dangerous" storm could cause "catastrophic" damage, with "significant flooding from torrential rains" possible and waves potentially nearly 11m (35ft) high on Monday.

The western Pacific region is particularly prone to tropical cyclones. While storms of this strength are unusual for the US islands, scientists say climate change is making powerful typhoons more common.