Super typhoon Yutu heads towards Asia

Super Typhoon Yutu slammed into the US territory of the Northern Mariana Islands Wednesday night, destroying homes and cutting power and water to thousands of residents.

The storm strengthened into the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of 280 kph (174 mph) before hitting the islands, and is now tracking northwest toward the Philippines and Taiwan.

Yutu is the strongest storm on record to hit the remote island communities of Saipan and Tinian, the largest of the Mariana Islands, home to about 55,000 people. It's also one of the strongest storms to ever hit a US territory, and one of the strongest tropical cyclones on the planet this year.

Super Typhoon Yutu is forecast to retain its intensity over the next 24 hours, before weakening slightly. Despite weakening, the storm will remain an incredibly strong super typhoon throughout the weekend as it tracks toward the Philippines and Taiwan.

It's currently about 175 kilometers (108 miles) west of the Mariana Islands, moving northwest through the Philippine Sea at 20 kph (12 mph).

The storm affected Tinian and Aguigan as it destroyed its critical infrastructure and homes. The cities have been devastated by the cyclone Yutu. Also, the cities lost water and power.

Several areas of the island, which has a population of about 3,500, are inaccessible, and authorities are yet to complete a preliminary assessment of the damage. Heavy machinery has been deployed to clear debris from roads so first responders can reach people cut off by the storm.