Guam, Marianas Islands Residents Rebuilding Their Lives Again After Two Super Typhoons Hit the Region Just Weeks Apart

Man in Red Cross vest looks at storm damage.

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Guam resident and disaster volunteer Ellery Paz, a retired U.S. Air Force medical technician, supports the American Red Cross response following Super Typhoon Bavi by driving through affected neighborhoods to check on homes and communities impacted by the storm. Bavi left a path of destruction across Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, including Saipan and the hardest-hit island of Rota. Red Cross photo by Mimi Teller

Man in Red Cross vest and woman in blue dress study her damaged home.

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Disaster volunteer Ellery Paz is supporting damage assessment efforts by driving through affected neighborhoods to check on homes and communities impacted by the storm. During his assessments, Paz met with Yona resident Brenda Hernandez, whose home was severely damaged when a 40-foot breadfruit tree fell across it, cracking a concrete wall and creating a large gap along the roofline. Hernandez said water has been pouring into her family's kitchen since the storm. As uninsured homeowners, the Hernandez family faces an uncertain future. Red Cross photo by Mimi Teller

A destroyed home with pieces of blue roof tarp also visible.

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This home on Saipan saw new damage from Super Typhoon Bavi. Roof tarps are still visible from damage to the home in April from Super Typhoon Sinlaku. More than 2,500 people were living in tents or homes with compromised roofs after the April storm when Bavi unleased its new destruction. Red Cross photo by Peter Teahan

A tall, bent tree looms over a destroyed home.

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An old, bent tree towers over a destroyed home on Saipan. More than 2,500 people were living in tents or homes with compromised roofs after the April storm when Bavi unleased its new destruction. Red Cross photo by Peter Teahan

Man in Red Cross vest stands surrounded by children

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Tracy Smart, Red Cross volunteer from Ohio, entertains Delma Kaiko’s family. The family’s home suffered major structural damage. Red Cross staff and volunteers are beginning to assess the damage left behind by Typhoon Bavi. Red Cross photo by Mimi Teller

Man in Red Cross vest entertains several children

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Mariano Soto (at left), Community Disaster Program Manager from Puerto Rico, plays with Kingjen, Triny, Amarii and Fao Kaiko in Chalan Ramirez, Guam. The family’s home suffered major structural damage with parts of the roof missing and two walls leaning away from the home. Red Cross photo by Mimi Teller

Man in Red Cross vest walks between damaged structures

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Mariano Soto, Community Disaster Program Manager from Puerto Rico, is part of the Red Cross teams beginning to assess the damage left behind by Typhoon Bavi. Here he checks on a damaged home in the Chalan Kristen neighborhood of Guam. Red Cross photo by Mimi Teller

‘The islands experienced two super typhoons just weeks apart. These families are not just beginning recovery. They are beginning it again.’

July 13, 2026

The storm has passed and people on Guam and the Marianas Islands are beginning to rebuild their lives for the second time in just over 80 days. The American Red Cross is with them, helping those affected plan their next steps.

The islands experienced two super typhoons just weeks apart. Super Typhoon Sinlaku hit the region on April 14, causing widespread damage. Then it happened again ─ Super Typhoon Bavi made landfall on July 6. Bavi hit Rota as an extremely dangerous storm with sustained 180 mph winds, the strongest storm to ever hit the island. Damaging winds also impacted Guam, Tinian and Saipan.

Rota's mayor estimates that at least half of the island's structures were damaged or destroyed, and it may take months to fully restore power there. Across all four islands, early estimates show at least 3,300 homes suffered major damage or destruction while downed power lines, limited operations for some airports and seaports, and flooded, debris-strewn roads are still complicating movement across the islands.

“Here is the reality that should stay with all of us,” said Brad Kieserman, vice president, Disaster Operations and Logistics for the Red Cross. “Bavi struck a population that had not finished recovering from Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April. Before Bavi made landfall, over half of the population on Saipan and Tinian was still completely without permanent electrical infrastructure, nearly 1,400 households were living in tents and another 1,100 households were sheltering under temporary blue tarp roofs. All was exposed to a second super typhoon in under three months. Those families are not just beginning recovery. They are beginning it again.”

RED CROSS RESPONSE More than 280 Red Cross disaster workers are helping people affected by Bavi. With hundreds in shelters on the islands and others living with relatives or in alternate housing, Red Cross disaster teams are helping assess the damage and working with partners to support efforts to get tents restored, and households stabilized with food, emergency supplies, health & mental health services and financial assistance.

To make sure there was no delay in delivering services, the Red Cross chartered aircraft to get people on hard-hit Rota and Tinian. Communications between Saipan and Tinian are running through Starlink terminals the Red Cross pre-positioned before landfall, and 20,000 culturally appropriate shelf-stable meals will be distributed to residents in tents as well as to the broader community. In addition to the certain core disaster services and relief items distributed during most disasters, the Red Cross is tailoring the response to specific community needs.

“In CHamoru culture, the ultimate concept for disaster response, healing and mutual support is Inafa'maolek. It literally means "to make good" or "to restore harmony and order,” Kieserman said. “For Super Typhoon Bavi, we're going to execute Operation Inafa'maolek designed to make sure we truly understand impact in the hardest-hit communities on each island and organize our service delivery village by village.”

Tinian, Rota and Saipan are part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). CNMI and Guam are U.S. territories whose residents are U.S. citizens.

YOU CAN HELP people in the United States affected by Super Typhoon Bavi. Your donation enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.

You can donate by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-REDCROSS (800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999.

You can also help by becoming a volunteer. Get involved and register as a volunteer by visiting redcross.org/volunteer or contact your local chapter. Guam Chapter: (671) 472-6217; CNMI Chapter: (670) 234-3459

FIND A SHELTER You can find open Red Cross shelters on redcross.org, the free Red Cross Emergency app or by calling the local Red Cross chapter at 671-472-6217 to get connected to our call center at 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). You can also check with local officials and monitor local news for information on where to find emergency shelter.

Red Cross shelters are open to everyone in need and all disaster assistance is free. We don’t require people to show any kind of identification to enter a shelter — just their name and where they were living before the disaster.

SAFETY STEPS The Red Cross issues the following steps people should take to help them remain safe:

POWER OUTAGE Unplug appliances and electronics to avoid damage from power surges. Leave one light on, so you’ll know when power is restored. Use flashlights or battery-operated lanterns — not candles — to help avoid fires. Don’t drive unless necessary. Traffic lights will be out, and roads could be congested. Decide if you need to leave if your home is too hot or cold, or if you have medical devices that need power.
FOOD SAFETY To prevent illness, keep food cold. When in doubt, throw it out. Eat fresh, perishable foods first. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to help keep food cold. Use coolers with ice if necessary. Measure the temperature in your refrigerator and freezer with a thermometer. Throw out perishable food that has been warmer than 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
GENERATOR SAFETY If you’re using a generator, keep it dry and don’t use it in wet conditions. Carbon monoxide kills. If you start to feel sick, dizzy or weak, get to fresh air right away. Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal burning device inside a home, garage, basement or other partially enclosed area. Keep this type of equipment outside and away from doors, windows and vents. Plug appliances directly into the generator. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. Operate the generator on a dry surface and don’t touch it with wet hands.
COPING, MENTAL HEALTH This is a difficult time for everyone, and it’s important for people to connect with and support each other. Events like this can cause feelings of uncertainty and anxiety since no one knows what could happen next. It’s okay to feel nervous or drained. Be patient with yourself and those around you. Stay informed but try to limit your exposure to the sights and sounds of the event, especially through television, radio, news stories and social media. Connect with family and friends. Set priorities for yourself and break tasks into small steps that are easier to tackle. Take care of yourself. Eat healthy, drink water and get enough rest

Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) Through the generosity of our American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) and Disaster Responder members, the American Red Cross is prepared before disaster strikes. ADGP and Disaster Responder members help secure a reliable funding base for disaster relief services that enables the Red Cross to respond immediately, meeting the needs of individuals and families affected by disaster.

Mission Leader Members: Amazon; American Airlines; Bank of America; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; The Coca-Cola Foundation; Costco Wholesale; Dollar General; Ford Philanthropy; Lowe's; State Farm

ADGP Leaders: Anheuser-Busch Foundation; Caterpillar Foundation; Chick-fil-A; CMA CGM Foundation; Delta Air Lines; Enterprise Mobility Foundation; FedEx; Honda; Lilly Endowment Inc.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Mastercard; McDonald’s Corporation; Merck; Nationwide Foundation; PetSmart Charities; The Pfizer Foundation; The Starbucks Foundation; Takeda; Truist Foundation; VSP Vision; Walmart and the Walmart Foundation; The Walt Disney Company; Wells Fargo Foundation

ADGP Members: ALDI; The Allstate Foundation; Altria Group; Aon; Baxter International Foundation; Bread Financial; Capital One; Citi Foundation; The Clorox Company; Danaher Foundation; Darden Foundation; Delta Dental; Edison International Foundation; Elevance Health Foundation; Energy Transfer/Sunoco Foundation; Fox Corporation; GE Aerospace Foundation; General Motors; Google.org; Harbor Freight Tools Foundation, LLC; HCA Healthcare; The Home Depot Foundation; The J.M. Smucker Company; Johnson Controls Foundation; The Kroger Co. Foundation; Marathon Petroleum Corporation; Microsoft; Mondelēz International Foundation; New Balance Foundation; PayPal; Stryker; Suburban Propane; Target; The Winn-Dixie Company; The TJX Companies, Inc.; Toyota; United Airlines; UPS; USAA; U.S. Bank Foundation; Visa Foundation; The Wawa Foundation; Wesco; Wingstop Restaurants; Zoetis Foundation

Disaster Responder Program Members: 3M; 7-Eleven Cares Foundation; Adobe Foundation; The AES Corporation; Aflac; Albemarle Corporation; The Allstate Foundation; American Family Insurance; American Water Charitable Foundation; Ameriprise Financial; Assurant; AstraZeneca; Avangrid Foundation; Barclays; Bath & Body Works; Blue Cross Blue Shield Association; Build-A-Bear Foundation; Canadian National Railway; CDW; Charles Schwab Foundation; Cisco Systems, Inc. and Cisco Foundation; CNA Insurance; The Coca-Cola Foundation; CSX; The Deluxe Foundation; DENSO North America Foundation; DHL Supply Chain; DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation; Dollar General; Dollar Tree; Duke Energy; Dutch Bros Coffee; Edward Jones; Eli Lilly and Company Foundation; Enbridge; Equitable ; Erie Insurance; Farmers Insurance®; Fastenal; GEICO Philanthropic Foundation; Grainger; HP Foundation; International Paper; Invitation Homes; John Deere; Johnson & Johnson Foundation; Keurig Dr Pepper; Kimberly-Clark Corporation; The Kraft Heinz Company Foundation ; L'Oréal Groupe; The Labcorp Charitable Foundation; Lenovo ; Liberty Mutual Insurance; LKQ; Macy’s, Inc.; Major League Baseball; Martin Marietta; Masco Corporation; McKesson Foundation; MetLife Foundation; Mutual of Omaha Foundation; NextEra Energy, Inc.; Nike Foundation; Norfolk Southern; Northrop Grumman Foundation; Northwestern Mutual; Old Dominion Freight Line; Old Republic; Pacific Life Foundation; PepsiCo Foundation; Phillips 66; Pilot Company; Prudential; QBE Foundation; Qualcomm; Raymond James; RBC Foundation USA; Reckitt; Reynolds American Inc.; RGA Foundation; RTX; Ryder System, Inc.; Salesforce; Santander; Security Finance’s Lending Hand Foundation; ServiceNow; Southwest Airlines; Stanley Black & Decker; Sunbelt Rentals; T-Mobile; Tennant Company; Toyota Tsusho America, Inc.; Uber; U-Haul International; Uber; Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation; US Foods; Westlake Corporation; Yum! Brands; Zurich

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.