Super Typhoon Mawar

Airlink's Impact

NGO partners supported

Responders sent

Aid supplies delivered (tons)

Cargo pipeline (tons)

Reports

Situation overview

Super Typhoon Mawar, with its maximum sustained winds reaching at least 150 miles per hour, lashed the U.S. territory of Guam on May 24th, 2023, causing significant damage and widespread power outages. Despite its intensity, no fatalities or major injuries have been reported thus far, providing some relief amidst the devastation. Residents are now grappling with water supply issues as they begin the recovery process. This super typhoon is the strongest to impact the island in decades, surpassing the impact of Super Typhoon Pongsona in 2002. Mawar is now projected to move west-northwest, away from Guam, towards the northern Philippines and Taiwan. The storm is expected to strengthen further before gradually weakening thereafter. Efforts are underway to support the approximately 150,000 residents of Guam and restore vital services in the aftermath of this powerful weather event.

Facilitating logistics solutions for Airlink's NGO network to reach Guam

The key challenges for this response are centered around access constraints. Guam is a traditionally remote location to reach due to its location in the Pacific Ocean as well as being an island, making air response to this disaster even more critical. In addition, officials are still conducting initial damage assessments as the residents continue to experience the after effects of the storm, including rain, flooding, and storm surge warnings. Power has been cut to the majority of the island’s residents and there are concerns over the impact to infrastructure and clean drinking water sources. The airport also remains flooded at this time, limiting the ability for planes to land. Airlink has expertise responding in the region following Typhoon Soudelor in 2015 and Typhoon Yutu in 2018.

Disaster Response. Step One.
Get There.

Airlink is working with its NGO and airline partners to provide free-of-charge flights for responders into Guam, including emergency responders, health professionals, logisticians, and additional programmatic staff. The first supported group from Team Rubicon will be carrying out initial damage assessments.