by


Guam - Governor Eddie Calvo this morning declared the island in Condition of Readiness 2. This means island residents should prepare for typhoon-strength winds and rains on Guam within the next 24 hours. Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan are under typhoon warnings.


According to the latest information from the National Weather Service, Typhoon Vongfong is located about 350 miles E-SE of Guam and moving northwest at 18 miles per hour. The closest point of approach is expected Monday morning. Maximum sustained winds are 80 miles per hour.


Island residents are urged to start preparing for the storm if they haven't done so already such as clearing your property, putting up shutters, gas your vehicles, stock up on bottled water and non-perishable food items.


Guam Homeland Security/ Office of Civil Defense warns island residents to be prepared for flooding. They are anticipating flooding in areas such as Route 1 Piti in the Polaris Point area, Merizo through Inarajan, and Pago Bay. Other areas prone to flooding for other reasons also will flood. Drivers should be mindful of this when it begins to rain later today. Residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas should consider securing their homes in preparation of flood, and moving temporarily to a family member's home or public shelter.


As for those who need a safe shelter to ride out the storm, the Department of Education is now preparing designated shelters. Those shelters will open at 2 p.m. The Department of Public Works is preparing its bus fleet to take residents to the shelters, in case they don't have transportation.  Public schools meanwhile will be closed on Monday. Likewise GovGuam will be closed tomorrow. As for women at least 36 weeks pregnant, the Guam Memorial Hospital will begin accepting them as well as those with sensitive pregnancies at 5:00pm today.  Waters will get rough as rains pick up and the storm gets closer. Please do not get in the water.