China Severe Weather from Typhoon Bavi Prompts Evacuation of Nearly 2 Million
Typhoon Bavi made landfall in China's Zhejiang province on Saturday night as a typhoon with 144 km/h winds, was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Sunday, and prompted the evacuation of nearly two million people with no immediate reports of casualties amid China severe weather. Bavi struck Yuhuan at around 11:20 p.m. Saturday then made a second landfall in Yueqing near Wenzhou, toppling over 1,300 trees, causing flooding in Wenzhou streets, and bringing fierce winds and heavy rain. [2][3][4]
Storm Landfall and Immediate Impacts
Bavi first made landfall at around 11:20 p.m. on Saturday in Zhejiang province with winds of 144 kilometres an hour. The core impact zone experienced fierce winds and heavy rain, with rapid runoff forming on the ground and roadside trees being uprooted as Bavi struck the city of Yuhuan. It then hit Yueqing city, where firefighters, rescue workers and municipal employees were clearing more than 1,300 trees that had fallen or been uprooted. Images shared online on Sunday showed streets in Zhejiang’s Wenzhou city, a metropolis of nearly 10 million people, submerged in floodwaters. Bavi struck Zhejiang’s coastal city of Yuhuan at around 11:20 p.m. on Saturday before making a second landfall in Yueqing, part of the city of Wenzhou, at around midnight. The most powerful storm to strike mainland China this year brought heavy rain to the eastern coast on Sunday and lashed densely populated cities with violent winds. [2][3][4]
Evacuations and Government Response
Typhoon Bavi brings fierce winds and heavy rain to streets in Wenzhou, China. — Source: japantimes
Around 1.72 million people had been evacuated to safe places by Saturday, with nearly 2 million people evacuated ahead of Bavi’s arrival, mostly in Zhejiang province. Classes, work, transport and outdoor activities were suspended ahead of the storm’s arrival, and more than 300 flights were cancelled in Zhejiang province. Another 684 flights and 1,620 train services have been cancelled in Shanghai. The Wenzhou government said in a statement it was sparing no effort or cost to guard against the worst-case scenario. Residents used planks to reinforce metal shutters protecting shops and taped windows. [2][3][4]
Forecast and Ongoing Weather Risks
The eye of the storm had moved near the Zhejiang provincial capital Hangzhou at around 10 a.m. on Sunday with force 10 winds of around 108 km/h. The storm is now forecast to move northeast while gradually weakening, before reaching the Yellow Sea on Tuesday and transforming into an extratropical cyclone. The provinces in its path across China’s east are likely to experience heavy downpours until Monday. Zhejiang provincial officials forecast torrential rain in coastal regions and the possibility of flash floods, warning of transport disruptions, rivers overflowing and farmland being inundated. Bavi had weakened by Sunday morning to a tropical storm as it pushed inland, but forecasters warned that the France-sized storm system could unleash prolonged and widespread rain across eastern and northern China in the coming days. [2][4]
Prior Severe Weather in China
Typhoon Bavi brings fierce winds and heavy rain to streets in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. — Source: france24
Extreme weather already wreaked havoc on southern and central China in the past week, with storms leaving at least 39 dead and causing dozens of rivers to overflow and a reservoir to burst. Torrential rain further north prompted the evacuation of more than 100,000 people from their homes in Beijing. More than 130,000 people have fled their homes in Fujian province and around 34,000 people from Shanghai’s coastal areas and high-risk areas. [2][4]
Regional Effects Beyond Mainland China
Before reaching China, the storm lashed northern Taiwan and Japan’s remote southwestern islands, toppling trees and leaving tens of thousands without power. In the Philippines, at least 18 people were killed in landslides and other incidents triggered by heavy rains driven by Bavi, most on the southern island of Mindanao. Nearly 11,000 people across the archipelago fled their homes, and dozens of ports remain closed. In northern Taiwan, more than 14,000 people were evacuated from their homes and hundreds of flights were cancelled. More than 170,000 households across the island were hit by power outages. In Japan, thousands of households and facilities across Okinawa also lost power. [2][4]
Contributing Climate Factors
Oceans have experienced their hottest June on record and could set fresh highs in the months ahead. Warmer oceans intensify tropical storms and add more moisture, which can fall as heavy rain. Adding to the mix is the return this year of El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon that warms Pacific Ocean surface temperatures and typically occurs every two to seven years. Bavi had been downgraded to a typhoon as it moved across the Pacific Ocean after hitting Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands on Monday as a super typhoon. [2][4]
What to watch next: The storm is forecast to continue northeast while gradually weakening into an extratropical cyclone by Tuesday after bringing heavy downpours to eastern provinces until Monday, with authorities continuing to warn of flash floods, overflowing rivers, transport disruptions and inundated farmland.
