Northern Marianas brace for Typhoon Melor

Residents of the Northern Mariana Islands are bracing themselves as Typhoon Melor churned across the Western Pacific.

Three islands in the U.S. commonwealth _ Saipan, Tinian and Agrihan _ were under a typhoon warning, while a typhoon watch for Rota was downgraded Saturday to a tropical storm warning, the National Weather Service said. A tropical storm warning for the neighboring U.S. territory of Guam also was canceled Saturday.

Most businesses had shut down by Saturday morning, and Saipan residents who don't live in concrete homes have moved to typhoon shelters, said Charles Reyes, Northern Marianas Gov. Benigno Fitial's press secretary.

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