LOS ANGELES, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense on Friday advised residents to take precautionary actions for a storm that could land at the U.S. island territory in the Western Pacific as "the worst typhoon in over a decade."
The National Weather Services (NWS) predicted that Tropical Depression 26W, which was located about 1,440 miles east of Guam on Friday, will possibly become a Category 3 or Category 4 typhoon by the time it reaches Guam next Tuesday or Wednesday.
According to the local Pacific News Center, weather expert from NWS Landon Aydlett gave a heavy weather briefing presentation Friday at the Office of Civil Defense, saying the Tropical is expected to intensify.
"It's been since Pongsona that we haven't had a major hit. Typhoon Dolphin hit us back in May 2015. This one has the potential to be larger and more powerful than Typhoon Dolphin," said Aydlett.
Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense advised residents to prepare for any scenario, including the preparation for food, water, flashlights, first-aid kits, batteries, matches or lighters, as well as important documents in a water-proof bag.
Meanwhile, all temporary signs, including those for political campaigns, advertisements in the island should be taken down before Sunday.
A team from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to arrive on Guam on Saturday to provide assistance, the report said.
The last major typhoon to directly hit the island was in 2002 with Supertyphoon Pongsona, which left the entire island of Guam without power, destroyed about 1,300 houses, killed one person and cost 700 million U.S. dollars.
