Typhoon Mawar batters Guam with torrential rains and powerful winds

Typhoon Mawar was expected to pass directly over the US territory of Guam on Wednesday, bringing potentially catastrophic winds to the Pacific military outpost.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour, making it a dangerous Category Four typhoon. Local authorities issued evacuation orders and opened temporary shelters, and US President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency on the island of 170,000 people, paving the way for federal aid.