Pacific Islanders slowly recover from the strongest storm of the year
Pacific Islanders are slowly recovering from Typhoon Sinlaku, the strongest storm of the year, which struck on April 14. The storm caused significant damage and resulted in at least 17 deaths across the region. Families are still dealing with power outages and debris cleanup more than a month after the storm's impact.
- ▪Typhoon Sinlaku intensified rapidly, reaching winds of 185 mph before making landfall.
- ▪The storm has been deemed the deadliest in the Micronesian region since 2002, with a total of 17 fatalities reported.
- ▪Many families are still without electricity and are working to clear debris from their homes.
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Anita Hofschneider Senior Staff Writer Published May 29, 2026 Topic Climate + Indigenous Affairs Share/Republish Copy Link Republish Copy Link Email SMS X Facebook Republish Reddit LinkedIn Bluesky Katelynn Delos Reyes thought she knew what to expect when Typhoon Sinlaku slammed into Saipan last month. As a lifelong resident of the island, Delos Reyes had survived frequent storms, including Supertyphoon Yutu, the second-strongest in U.S. history. Eight years ago, Yutu’s 170-mph winds devastated her village in the southern end of Saipan. Just three years before that, she survived Typhoon Soudelor. But Sinlaku was different. “At the beginning, it was OK. But later on it wasn’t,” said Delos Reyes, who is Chamorro, Indigenous to the Mariana Islands.
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