SAIPAN — Governor David M. Apatang declared Agrihan All Clear Saturday afternoon, lifting the last active warning in the CNMI and ending the formal threat phase of Typhoon Sinlaku as HSEM issued its final bulletin on the storm.
Bulletin 28, issued at 2:00 PM, carried no watches or warnings for any island in the CNMI — the first time since April 12 that the chain has been completely free of typhoon-related warnings. HSEM confirmed it was the final bulletin for Typhoon Sinlaku, designated 04W.
As of 1:00 PM, Sinlaku was located 535 miles north of Saipan and 285 miles north-northeast of Agrihan, moving north at 10 mph. Maximum sustained winds had decreased to 75 mph. Though sustained tropical storm force winds have ended at Agrihan, tropical storm force gusts remained possible near showers there through Saturday evening.
Sinlaku is forecast to continue weakening through tonight and is expected to turn northeast with increasing forward speed through Sunday.
The storm made Category 4 landfall near Tinian and Saipan on April 14 with a nearly stationary eye passage overnight into April 15. At peak intensity, Sinlaku carried 180 mph sustained winds as a Category 5 super typhoon. Power outages across all three main islands, extensive structural damage, island-wide water loss and a suspended commercial air service have marked the beginning of what federal officials say will be a months-long recovery.