No landfall, minor damage: Guam spared by Super Typhoon Mawar

Super Typhoon Mawar avoided making landfall in the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, but still delivered widespread power outages and ferocious winds.

Mawar formed last Saturday, and some forecasted paths suggested a direct impact in Guam. Fortunately, this did not occur although all but 1,000 of the island's properties lost power as the typhoon passed Thursday.

Gale force winds measuring up to 150 mph were recorded alongside torrential rain. Mawar's strength was equatable to a category 4 hurricane, it has since intensified into the equivalent of a category 5 system as it moves west towards the Philippines.

Some flooding was also reported in the aftermath of Mawar, though officials say that roads are passable and that critical infrastructure, including hospitals, were operating as normal.

Strong winds are still impacting the island, making coastal areas hazardous due to rough seas.

The island is located in a region where tropical cyclones are quite normal at this time of year.

Nevertheless, it is rather rare that Guam is directly hit by typhoons of this strength. The last time this happened was in 2002. In the past 75 years, only eight such storms have passed over the island.

Most notable is Typhoon Karen, which devastated Guam after making landfall in 1962, destroying almost all housing and vital infrastructure.

Mawar remains visible on the WindRadar, take a look at the system for yourself!