Powerful typhoon barrels over remote U.S. islands in Pacific: "Hitting us hard"
Typhoon Sinlaku came ashore on a chain of remote U.S. island territories in the Western Pacific, which includes Guam, on Tuesday. It was a super typhoon at the time.
Updated on: April 14, 2026 / 10:16 PM EDT / CBS News
Typhoon Sinlaku — the strongest tropical cyclone on Earth this year — relentlessly struck a pair of remote U.S. islands in the western Pacific Ocean early Wednesday local time with extremely powerful winds and heavy rain, with residents reporting tin roofs being torn apart.
The typhoon had sustained winds of up to 150 mph, equating to a strong Category 4, when it hit the islands of Tinian and Saipan of the Northern Mariana Islands, according to the National Weather Service . As of 11 a.m. Wednesday local time, maximum sustained winds had dropped to 130 mph and the storm started tracking to the north. Sinlaku is forecast to continue weakening through the next few days, the National Weather Service said , passing west of the islands of Alamagan, Pagan and Agrihan through the latter half of the week.
"I'm guessing anything that was made of wood and tin did not survive this," Glen Hunter told The Associated Press. Hunter grew up on Saipan and watched at least three tin roofs fly past his yard.
Hunter, who has weathered numerous typhoons, told The AP this felt like the strongest yet. Rain was seeping into every crevice of his concrete home, he said.
"It was a losing battle because the rain was coming through everywhere," he said. "Every house is just flooded with water, no matter what type of structure you're in."