Typhoon pounds Guam with 85 mph winds

HAGATNA, Guam -- Typhoon Pongsona slammed into Guam on Sunday with intense rain and winds gusting to 85 mph, forcing thousands of residents to seek safe shelter.\n"We'll probably have higher gusts than that as time goes on," National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Stanko said.\nThe eye of the storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 140 mph, was 35 miles east-southeast of the island.\n"The eye's going to pass over or very near Guam, I would guess, in about two or three hours," Stanko said Sunday afternoon.\nThe 30- to 35-mile-wide eye of the storm was expected to take about two hours to pass, with winds diminishing as it crosses. Stanko said, however, as the storm passes over the island, winds were expected to increase up to 160 mph by evening.\nAfter passing Guam, the storm was expected to skirt neighboring Rota, one of the Northern Mariana Islands, forecasters said.\nGuam is a U.S. territory located west of the international date line, about 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii.\nAs the storm approached, Guam Civil Defense officials urged residents to seek shelter in designated schools.\nBy noon, about 2,271 people were staying in shelters, said Vince Leon Guerrero, Department of Education response activity coordinator.\nCelina Quidachay and her family, who recently finished rebuilding their home destroyed July 5 by Typhoon Chataan, sought refuge at Astumbo Elementary School in Dededo.\n"Its a lot to handle," Quidachay said. "The worst part is waiting to find out, to see what I and the kids still have."\nMore than 400 people filled the school, forcing late arrivals to seek shelter elsewhere.\nSome residents checked into the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa, which started the day at 70 percent occupancy.\nManfred Pieper, the hotel's general manager, said he expected it to be full by mid-afternoon.\nOne guest, Carlos Camacho of Talofofo, moved into the hotel with many family members, including his wife, who is eight months pregnant. He said he chose to evacuate to the Hilton because the hotel is close to Guam Memorial Hospital.\nMeanwhile, long lines formed at gas stations to fill tanks and cans for electrical generators.\nAt the S & L Mart, residents stocked up on necessities.\n"They come in here for junk food," said Giovanna Leon Guerrero, whose family runs the store in Inarajan. "They get candles and batteries, too. And ice, water and beer."\nPongsona passed north of Chuuk state in the Federated States of Micronesia on Saturday. Although there was some crop damage and minor landslides, there were no reports of serious injuries on the main island of Weno, according to Chuuk disaster officials. The FSM is located about 620 miles southeast of Guam.