Residents step up storm preparations as Bavi nears Marianas

With Tropical Storm Bavi forecast to strengthen as it approaches the Marianas, residents across Saipan spent Friday securing their homes, stocking up on supplies, and urging fellow islanders to prepare early while there is still time. Among them was Edward Dela Cruz Jr., who said storm preparations had become a family-wide effort as memories of Super Typhoon Sinlaku remain fresh. Dela Cruz said they spent the day boarding up multiple homes belonging to relatives in Chalan Kanoa, San Antonio, Lower Navy Hill, Kagman, and Capitol Hill while ensuring they had enough food, water, and emergency supplies to last at least a week. "We secured my dad's house this morning. We boarded up all the windows at Chalan Kanoa, then went to my grandparents' house, boarded up the windows at San Antonio. Now we're here at my house at Lower Navy Hill... and then after that, we're going to go board up at my cousin's house at Kagman, and then board up at my in-laws' house at Capitol Hill," he said.