Typhoon Bavi: Nearly 2 Million Evacuated in China Following Powerful Storm

A second powerful typhoon within a week prompted the evacuation of approximately two million people from affected regions in China. Typhoon Bavi, which spread across a width of about 1,000 kilometers—comparable to the width of France—first struck the coastal city of Taizhou on Saturday evening and impacted Wenzhou around midnight. Continuously hitting the Japanese islands, the storm also caused heavy rainfall in Taiwan as it moved over the northern part of the island. Earlier, the typhoon was responsible for at least 17 deaths due to landslides in the Philippines. Although it has weakened and transformed into a severe tropical storm, its rain bands contain significant moisture, maintaining a high level of risk according to analyses.

As the storm moves northwestward, its intensity is expected to gradually decrease. Chinese state media reports that the main body of the storm reached Hangzhou city in Zhejiang province on Sunday morning. Meteorologists forecast that the typhoon will move from eastern Anhui on Sunday to the Shandong Peninsula and then towards the northern Yellow Sea on Tuesday. More than 1.7 million people in Zhejiang and thousands more in neighboring provinces have been relocated to safe areas. In Zhejiang, schools, offices, and outdoor activities have been suspended, while over 400 flights and dozens of train services have been canceled.

In Wenzhou, a city with nearly 10 million residents located along the typhoon’s path, officials have already evacuated millions. “We can hear the sound of roof tiles and tree branches falling,” said local resident Li Liangxing. “We are very scared.” Beijing authorities have instructed the evacuation of 100,000 people to avoid risks, according to official statements. Typhoon Bavi originally developed as a super typhoon, striking Guam and the northern Mariana Islands last Monday with winds reaching 290 kilometers per hour. As it moved across the Pacific Ocean, wind speeds reduced to 144 kilometers per hour.

While Taiwan has not experienced the storm’s direct impact, thousands were forced to evacuate amid heavy rains that heightened the risk of landslides. So far, there have been no reports of casualties. Taiwanese officials warned that Bavi could bring up to one meter of rainfall. Many flights have been canceled, and schools in the region have suspended classes. Local residents have begun stocking up on food supplies, resulting in emptied supermarket shelves. Some areas in southern China are still recovering from the destruction caused by last week’s Typhoon Maysak, which resulted in at least 39 deaths.