Typhoon Bavi, a powerful storm spanning 1,000 kilometers at its widest point, made landfall in China on Saturday evening, becoming the second typhoon to hit the country within a week. Nearly two million people have been evacuated from areas in the storm's path, according to state media reports.
Landfall and Immediate Impact
The typhoon first came ashore in the coastal city of Taizhou on Saturday evening before making a second landfall in Wenzhou around midnight. After pummeling a chain of remote Japanese islands, it brought heavy rainfall to Taiwan as it brushed past its northern tip. Bavi had maximum sustained winds of 144 kilometers per hour, equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane, and was about 200 kilometers southeast of Wenling in Zhejiang province as of early Sunday.
Evacuations and Preparations
More than 1.7 million people have been evacuated from their homes in Zhejiang province, where Wenzhou is located, state media reported. An additional 130,000 people fled their homes in Fujian province, and around 34,000 people were evacuated from Shanghai's coastal and high-risk areas. In Beijing, torrential rain prompted the evacuation of over 100,000 people, with water discharge flows from the Miyun Reservoir ramped up to capture potential floodwaters.
Classes, work, transport, and outdoor activities have been suspended in affected areas. More than 400 flights and dozens of train services were canceled in Zhejiang province. Residents used wood to reinforce metal shutters and taped windows in preparation for the storm, which was forecast to bring exceptionally heavy rains to eastern Zhejiang and northeastern Fujian.
Government Response and Public Sentiment
The government in Wenzhou, a metropolis of nearly 10 million people, stated, “The proactive, all-out mobilization, which is sparing no effort or cost, is undertaken entirely to guard against the (worst-case) scenario.” Residents expressed concern but remained resilient. Wenzhou resident Huang Xinghuan, 50, said, “I’m a little worried, but I think it’ll be OK. We’ve been through typhoons before. We’ll get through it.” He added that his family had stocked about two to three days’ worth of water, noting, “I think supplies are well guaranteed now. There’s no need to panic or stockpile a lot of food or other supplies.”
Broader Regional Impact
Extreme weather has already wreaked havoc on southern and central China this week, with storms leaving at least 39 dead and causing dozens of rivers to overflow and a reservoir dam to burst. In Taiwan, streets were largely deserted, and most businesses were shut for a second day. More than 14,000 people were evacuated, hundreds of flights canceled, and over 170,000 households experienced power outages. A breakfast shop owner surnamed Tsai, 50, told AFP in Keelung, “Everyone is afraid of the severe weather and staying indoors, but I only came out because I have orders. Some people are on duty and wouldn’t have anything to eat, so I still need to deliver food to them.”
While Japan and Taiwan have not reported any deaths from the typhoon, 17 people died in the Philippines due to heavy rains brought by an enhanced southwest monsoon worsened by Bavi's impact.
