Guam Typhoon Highlights Threat to US Military’s Pacific Strategy
Severe storms, flooding and other consequences of climate change are battering the US territory and other key installations.
Downed tree branches litter a neighborhood in Yona, Guam on May 25.
Photographer: Adam Brown/U.S. Coast Guard/AP Photo
As Typhoon Mawar neared the coast of Guam early Wednesday, it also drew attention to an uncomfortable fact of US military strategy: Many of America’s most strategic assets are in places increasingly threatened by extreme weather events, rising seas and other consequences of climate change.
The Navy moved ships out to sea before the storm hit, standard procedure when bases prepare for hurricanes. The storm generated winds of 175 miles per hour (282 kilometers per hour) — the National Weather Service’s offices were “vibrating,” an official said — and waves of at least 60 feet (18 meters). It caused significant flooding in Guam, endangering residents and putting new demands on the military.