Typhoon Bavi Brings Widespread Disruption to Eastern China
Typhoon Bavi made landfall in China's eastern province of Zhejiang on Saturday night, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the region. The storm had already caused significant disruption in Japan's southern islands and Taiwan, and Chinese authorities had evacuated over 1.7 million people by Saturday morning. The National Meteorological Center predicted that Bavi would gradually weaken as it moved northwestward inland.
In the southern Philippines, the storm's impact was felt even harder, with at least 17 people killed in landslides triggered by seasonal monsoon rains that Bavi intensified. The Philippine authorities reported that 11,000 villagers had moved to emergency shelters in recent days due to the stormy weather. Taiwanese authorities registered at least 113 injuries from Typhoon Bavi, with many schools and offices suspended on Saturday.
The Chinese government issued an orange typhoon alert, the second-highest on a four-tier level, and allocated 40 million yuan ($5.9 million) in central natural disaster relief funds to support Zhejiang and Fujian provinces' typhoon prevention and emergency rescue efforts. Southeastern Chinese cities near the coast prepared for the impacts, with over 3,700 people relocated from high-risk onshore areas in Ningde, Fujian province. Hundreds of flights were canceled, and some high-speed railway services were halted.
The storm's impact was not limited to China, with Japan's southern islands also affected. Local authorities in Okinawa warned of high waves, strong winds, and storm surges, with over 200 flights canceled across the region. The typhoon's strong winds and rain hit islands including Ishigaki, causing widespread disruption.
As the storm moved inland, the Chinese authorities continued to monitor its progress, with the National Meteorological Center issuing a red alert for rainstorms. The government's emergency response efforts were underway, with thousands of rescue workers on standby to deal with the aftermath of the storm.
