Our correspondent, Mark Rabago, says hardly a building has been spared and the vegetation is battered.
The storm had sustained winds of 170 kilometres per hour when it hit Saipan but weather officials say they could reach 266 kilometres an hour by Wednesday.
Mr Rabago says the damage is unbelievable.
"It's utter devastation. All the trees are bent like tooth picks. Light material houses with thin roofs and light materials, they're gone. Everybody is in shock right now. This is the worst typhoon I have experienced in my 15 years living here on Saipan."
