As 1997 drew to a close, Guam was battered by the strongest typhoon ever recorded. Super Typhoon Paka formed in the central Pacific. Once it crossed the International Dateline it became a typhoon. It strengthened into a super typhoon and slammed Guam. Paka was the first significate storm to hit Guam since Typhoon Omar in 1992. Severe damage occurred, suspending basic services such as water, electricity and phones. Remarkably, no deaths were reported, dispite the 150 mph sustained winds. This was about the same strength as Andrew when it hit Flordia in August 1992. For a while Paka assured a spot in the history books when wind gusts were reported well in excess of the previous world record. At Anderson Air Force Base, a wind gust was measured at 236mph! Later study, however, revealed damage to the anemometer and the reading was dismissed. Had it been confirmed, the record for the highest wind on the Earth would have been broken. In 1934, Mount Washington, New Hampshire, experienced 231 mph winds in a non-hurricane replated event.
Having experienced this storm it is something that I will never forget. My friends and family survived the STRONGEST winds Ever!!
These are some of the picures what we took the day after the storm. |
