The U.S. territory is home to more than 170,000 residents in the western Pacific Ocean. Guam was walloped by a power typhoon in late May and the recovery is slow going as power and water are restored.

Authorities warned of dangerous tidal surges, flash floods and landslides as Typhoon Mawar blows past the northernmost province of Batanes from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Guam still faces dangerous winds and flash floods as the powerful storm moves away from the island. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero spoke to Morning Edition about damage so far and federal help on the way.

The giant storm formed over abnormally warm water in the Pacific. And sea level rise makes storm surge even more dangerous to residents of Guam and the Mariana Islands.