By Trina A. San Agustin
Variety News Staff

TYPHOON Kong-Rey spared Guam from its devastating 85- mile-per-hour winds on Monday, and the typhoon continues to move away from the Northern Marianas Islands.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of Kong-Rey was located near latitude 16.8 degrees north and longitude 144.6 degrees east, according to the National Weather Service.
This was about 230 miles north of Guam, 190 miles north of Rota, 140 miles north-northwest of Tinian and Saipan, and 105 miles southwest of Alamagan.
Kong-Rey, a Cambodian term meaning “legendary lady,” continued in its north-northwest track at 16 miles per hour with a gradual turn towards the north and then northeast expected within the next 24 hours from yesterday afternoon.
Kong-Rey was packing maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour and was expected to intensify in the next 12 to 24 hours.
As of yesterday afternoon, the typhoon force winds extended outwards to 35 miles from the center, while tropical storm winds extended outward to 120 miles north from the center and to 60 miles south of the center.
Because Kong-Rey was moving out of the northwest of Saipan, winds have generated waves and swells, prompting NWS to issue a high surf advisory until 6 a.m. today.
A high surf advisory, according to NWS, means that dangerous surf is occurring and is producing life-threatening rip currents.
Condition of Readiness 4
Gov. Felix P. Camacho placed Guam back into Condition of Readiness 4 at 7 a.m. yesterday. NWS lifted the typhoon warning at 8 p.m. on Monday; however, Camacho kept the island in Condition of Readiness 2 as a precautionary measure.
The Civil Defense Emergency Operations Center was deactivated at 7 a.m. yesterday.
Affected islands
As of yesterday’s 3 p.m. NWS statement, residents of Agrihan, Pagan and Alamagan in the CNMI were advised to make necessary preparations for the passing of Kong-Rey. Alamagan was expected to receive 40-mile-per-hour winds last night with gusts to 74 miles per hour.
Pagan residents were advised as well to take precautions to protect life and shelters as winds of 40 miles per hour or more were anticipated with gusts to 74 miles per hour through last night and into this morning.