There were no reports of casualties following the typhoon, which came within 35 miles (55 kilometres) of the main island of Saipan, causing wind gusts up to 110 miles an hour (175 kilometres an hour).

Nabi was a category one typhoon -- the weakest on a five point scale -- when it neared Saipan. It increased in intensity to category three late Wednesday but was moving away from populated islands.

The first typhoon to hit the island this year also forced the evacuation of 544 people living in beach front areas and other low-lying areas on Saipan, Tinian and Rota to be evacuated to emergency shelters, according to the Emergency Management Office.

Heavy rains from early Wednesday flooded homes and businesses around Saipan and forced the turning off of power and water supplies.

More than a thousand tourists were stranded by the typhoon when flights between the international airport on Saipan and Japan, China, South Korea and the Philippines had to be cancelled. The airport was open again Thursday.

The government-owned power company's power generation manager Al Santos said it was uncertain when power supplies would be fully restored and the extent of damage was still unknown.

Four typhoons last year caused damage worth 20 million dollars.

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