Emergency evacuations have begun on the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as Super Typhoon Bavi approaches. The storm is forecast to hit the islands on the morning of July 6, BBC News reports.

According to the U.S. National Weather Service, sustained winds near the center of the typhoon could reach 257 km/h, with gusts of up to 333 km/h. Forecasters warn that the storm could cause catastrophic destruction, widespread flooding from torrential rains, and waves as high as 11 meters.

The typhoon is expected to pass directly over Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The most dangerous weather conditions could persist for 8 to 10 hours before and after the cyclone’s center passes. Authorities have urged residents to evacuate immediately if their homes are in areas at risk of flooding or are unable to withstand hurricane-force winds.

On Guam, where about 170,000 people live, five evacuation centers have been opened with capacity for approximately 1,700 people. One of them is already full, and new arrivals are being directed to other shelters.

According to the classification of the U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Bavi is considered a super typhoon. Such cyclones have wind speeds exceeding 240 km/h and are comparable in destructive power to Category 4 or 5 hurricanes.

Local residents and tourists are actively preparing for the storm’s impact. Shop and restaurant owners are boarding up windows with sheets of plywood, and some flights have already been canceled. Many vacationers are being forced to remain in hotels until weather conditions improve.

Bavi has become the eleventh Category 4 or 5 tropical cyclone to threaten U.S. territories over the past decade. Scientists say climate change is contributing to the intensification of such storms: rising ocean surface temperatures increase the amount of moisture in the atmosphere, making tropical cyclones significantly more powerful.