Nearly two million people have been forced to evacuate their homes as Typhoon Bavi approaches, lashing northern Taiwan and Japan's remote southwestern islands on Saturday. The storm has toppled trees and left tens of thousands without power, with extreme weather already wreaking havoc in southern and central China earlier this week, leaving at least 39 dead and causing numerous rivers to overflow and a reservoir dam to burst.
Evacuations in Eastern China
Typhoon Bavi is expected to make landfall early on Sunday in the eastern province of Zhejiang, where more than 1.7 million people have been evacuated from their homes, according to state media. Classes, work, transport, and outdoor activities have been suspended, and over 400 flights and dozens of train services have been cancelled in the province. The government in Wenzhou, a metropolis of nearly 10 million people in Zhejiang, stated, "The proactive, all-out mobilisation, which is sparing no effort or cost, is undertaken entirely to guard against the (worst-case) scenario."
Preparations and Impact
Residents used wood to reinforce metal shutters protecting shops and taped windows, as Bavi is forecast to bring "exceptionally heavy rains" to eastern Zhejiang and northeastern Fujian province, according to CCTV footage. Torrential rain further north prompted the evacuation of more than 100,000 people from their homes in Beijing, the government said, as water discharge flows from the capital's Miyun Reservoir were ramped up to capture potential floodwaters. More than 130,000 people have fled their homes in Fujian, and around 34,000 people from Shanghai's coastal areas and high-risk areas, state media reported.
Taiwan and Japan Affected
Streets were largely deserted in northern Taiwan, where most businesses were shut for a second day as wind and rain buffeted the region. More than 14,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, hundreds of flights cancelled, and more than 170,000 households across the island hit with power outages because of the storm. A breakfast shop owner surnamed Tsai told AFP in Taiwan's port city of 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."
Storm Intensity and Warnings
Bavi was downgraded to a typhoon as it moved across the Pacific Ocean after slamming into Guam and the Northern Marianas on Monday as a super typhoon. Its maximum sustained wind speeds slowed to 137 kilometres (85 miles) per hour, with gusts of around 173 kph on Saturday, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration (CWA). The CWA warned of "extremely torrential rain" across northern Taiwan and "dangerous waves" of up to 10 metres (33 feet) along the coast as Bavi skirted the island's north.
Deaths in the Philippines
In the Philippines, the death toll from landslides and other incidents triggered by heavy rains driven by Bavi rose to 18, most on the southern island of Mindanao. Nearly 11,000 people across the archipelago fled their homes, and dozens of ports remain closed, with 313 vessels taking shelter. More than 18,000 households and facilities across Okinawa lost power as the typhoon pounded Japan's remote southwestern islands, with the Miyako region hardest hit. Japanese airlines cancelled dozens of flights, affecting more than 26,000 passengers.
Climate Context
Oceans experienced their hottest June on record and could set fresh highs in the months ahead, the European Union's Copernicus Marine Service said last week. Warmer oceans help tropical storms to intensify and add more moisture, which can fall as heavy rain. Adding to the mix is the return this year of El Nino, a natural climate phenomenon that warms Pacific Ocean surface temperatures and typically occurs every two to seven years.
