Typhoon Bavi Hits Eastern China After Mass Evacuations of Nearly 2 Million People
Chinese authorities ordered the evacuation of nearly two million residents before Typhoon Bavi roared ashore in the eastern coastal city of Taizhou late Saturday, as powerful winds and torrential rain threatened widespread flooding and damage.
The typhoon made landfall in Zhejiang Province with sustained winds of about 144 km/h (90 mph), according to the National Meteorological Center.
Although the storm is forecast to weaken as it moves inland, weather officials warned that the enormous amount of moisture it carries could continue to unleash heavy rainfall across affected regions.
The large-scale evacuation saw more than 1.7 million people moved to safety in Zhejiang Province, while additional residents were relocated from neighbouring Fujian Province, Shanghai and Beijing as authorities activated emergency response measures.
Communities spent the day reinforcing homes, securing businesses and stocking up on essential supplies before the storm’s arrival.
Emergency services remained on high alert, with rescue teams and disaster response units deployed across vulnerable areas.
Bavi had already disrupted life across other parts of East Asia before reaching China. The storm swept past Japan’s southern Sakishima island chain and brushed northern Taiwan, prompting widespread precautionary measures despite avoiding a direct landfall there.
Taiwan evacuated more than 14,000 people from flood- and landslide-prone communities and cancelled hundreds of international and domestic flights. Schools, public offices and many businesses were closed as authorities sought to minimise the risk to residents.
Although Taiwan and Japan did not report any deaths linked directly to the typhoon, more than 100 people were injured in Taiwan, mostly in weather-related accidents involving strong winds and heavy rain.
The wider weather system also had deadly consequences in the Philippines, where intensified monsoon rains associated with Bavi claimed at least 17 lives and caused flooding in several areas.
As Bavi continues its path across eastern China, meteorologists have cautioned that the greatest danger may come from prolonged rainfall rather than wind, raising concerns over flash floods, overflowing rivers and landslides in the days ahead.
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