As Super Typhoon Sinlaku strengthens in the western Pacific, Team Rubicon has activated resources in preparation for a response to Saipan and the surrounding region. On Monday, the veteran-led nonprofit activated a virtual Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, to prepare to respond to potential impacts across vulnerable coastal communities in the Mariana Islands, including Guam, Tinian, and Saipan.
Super Typhoon Sinlaku developed in the Western Pacific Ocean as a powerful tropical cyclone in early April. As of Monday, April 13, at 9 p.m. Chamorro Standard Time—local time in Guam—Super Typhoon Sinlaku was located roughly 190 miles east of Guam, and was moving west-northwest at 8 mph. On Monday, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center was reporting maximum significant wave height from Sinlaku of 43 feet.
Expected to cross the Northern Mariana Islands as a Category 4 or 5 typhoon, Super Typhoon Sinlaku will likely pass the islands of Tinian and Saipan—just more than 100 miles from Guam—later Tuesday. Given the system’s large wind field, there’s a large likelihood of widespread impacts across the Mariana Islands, even if the center does not pass directly over land. Sinlaku is projected to bring heavy rain, destructive winds, and life-threatening flooding to Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
After closely monitoring Sinlaku’s track and intensity over the weekend, Team Rubicon made the decision on Monday to stand up a virtual EOC.
The activation allows Team Rubicon to begin logistical planning, including staging equipment, identifying potential deployment teams, and preparing for a range of response scenarios—from debris removal to damage assessments and support for affected residents. Early activation of the EOC ensures that Team Rubicon can move swiftly in the storm’s aftermath, should there be significant unmet needs.
The westernmost territory of the United States, Guam is located roughly 3,700 miles southwest of Honolulu and is the largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Archipelago. It is home to approximately 170,000 people and the Anderson Air Force Base. Because Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are self-governing, unincorporated U.S. territories, and residents of Guam and the Northern Marianas are U.S. citizens, any operation Team Rubicon decides to stand up would be considered a domestic operation.
Should Team Rubicon volunteers—or Greyshirts—deploy to Guam or other islands in the Marianas archipelago, it will not be their first time there. Greyshirts spent two weeks in Guam helping local residents recover from Typhoon Mawar in 2023.
