China has evacuated more than 1.8 million people as Typhoon Bavi moved towards the eastern city of Wenzhou after battering Japan’s southern Sakishima island chain with heavy rain and strong winds and passing north of Taiwan.
Although the storm has slowed and weakened over cooler waters, forecasters warned it remains dangerous because of the large amount of moisture contained within its rain bands.
According to China’s National Meteorological Center, Bavi was packing maximum sustained winds of 144km/h and was about 200km southeast of Wenling in Zhejiang province as of 0808 GMT on Saturday. The typhoon is expected to make landfall near Wenzhou, a city of about 10 million people, early on Sunday.
State media said more than 1.7 million people had been evacuated across Zhejiang province, while more than 100,000 others had been moved to safety in neighbouring Fujian province.
Wenzhou resident Huang Xinghuan, 50, said preparations were underway before markets closed.
“I’m a little worried, but I think it’ll be OK. We’ve been through typhoons before. We’ll get through it,” he said.
Huang said his family had stored enough drinking water for two to three days.
“I think supplies are well guaranteed now. There’s no need to panic or stockpile a lot of food or other supplies,” he added.
While Japan and Taiwan have not reported any deaths linked to the typhoon, authorities in the Philippines said 17 people died in heavy rains caused by an enhanced southwest monsoon worsened by Bavi.
Taiwan’s fire department said 87 people were injured, mainly from falls involving motorcycles, bicycles and flying objects.
Taiwan evacuated more than 14,000 people from mostly mountainous areas as authorities prepared for the storm, despite forecasts showing it would not make landfall on the island.
Officials warned some areas could receive nearly one metre of rain. More than 920 international flights and all 282 domestic flights were cancelled, effectively shutting Taiwan’s main international airport at Taoyuan.
Most cities and counties declared a typhoon holiday, closing schools and government offices, although some restaurants and convenience stores in Taipei remained open. The island’s north-south high-speed rail service continued to operate on a reduced schedule.
In central Taipei, some residents remained outdoors despite the weather.
“It’s OK, it’s not that serious,” said 68-year-old Yeh Mao-hsiung while walking his dog. “It’s just a little bit more wind.”
In Taipei’s Beitou district, gusts of about 100km/h toppled trees and caused rivers to swell.
In Wenzhou, Chen Qiuqin said she was helping her elderly parents prepare for the storm.
“I was worried about the flowerpots on my mother’s balcony, so I’m going to help move them inside. My parents are both elderly and they’re home alone, so I wasn’t at ease,” she said.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
