On 25 October 2018 Super Typhoon Yutu made landfall at CNMI as a Category 5 typhoon, with the eye passing directly over Tinian Island, home to about 3,000 people. Yutu brought sustained winds of 180 mph, heavy rains and coastal inundation.
The power plants on Saipan and Tinian Islands are down, and the electrical distribution systems were heavily damaged with a large number of power poles having toppled. Associated transformers have been damaged, and may have leaked oil. What limited power currently exists is being provided by generators.
Due to the loss of power, drinking water (which is provided by groundwater wells that depend upon power for pumping) is extremely scarce on both islands.
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