Typhoon Bavi made landfall in eastern China’s Zhejiang province late Saturday, prompting the evacuation of approximately 1.72 million people as the storm brought fierce winds and torrential rainfall to the region. While the system weakened to a severe tropical storm by early Sunday morning, the event follows a period of extreme weather across Asia that has left at least 18 people dead in the Philippines and caused significant infrastructure damage across Taiwan and Japan’s southwestern islands.
By 5:00 a.m. Sunday, the system had downgraded in intensity, though authorities maintained warnings for heavy rain and potential flash flooding as the storm tracked toward the commercial hub of Yiwu. State media outlet Xinhua reported that the preemptive evacuation of 1.72 million residents was part of a broad effort to mitigate risks in coastal Zhejiang and neighboring Fujian provinces.
Strong waves break along the coast in Yilan on July 10, 2026, as Typhoon Bavi moves toward Northeastern Taiwan. Photo: I-Hwa Cheng / AFP.
Regional Impact and Infrastructure Disruptions
Before impacting the Chinese mainland, the storm traversed the Pacific, affecting several regional neighbors. Across the archipelago, nearly 11,000 residents were displaced, and maritime operations remained restricted, with 313 vessels seeking shelter in various ports.
In Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) reported that while the storm’s wind radius narrowed to 350 kilometers, it still triggered extensive service cancellations. Similarly, Japan’s Okinawa prefecture saw thousands of homes lose power as the storm moved through the southwestern islands, with the Miyako region experiencing the most severe conditions.
In China, the scale of the emergency response involved significant logistical shifts. Beyond the 1.72 million evacuated in Zhejiang, state media reported that approximately 130,000 people were moved from high-risk areas in Fujian, and 34,000 were relocated in Shanghai. Further north, the Beijing municipal government ordered the evacuation of more than 100,000 residents as a precautionary measure, ramping up discharge operations at the Miyun Reservoir to manage potential floodwaters.
Climate Context and Storm Intensity
The progression of Typhoon Bavi has drawn attention to the role of rising ocean temperatures in intensifying tropical systems. The European Union’s Copernicus Marine Service reported that global oceans experienced their hottest June on record, a factor that meteorologists associate with increased moisture availability and storm strength.
Local authorities in affected provinces, including Wenzhou, have framed the large-scale evacuations and the suspension of over 400 flights and dozens of train services as a necessary “all-out mobilization” to prevent casualties in the face of what was initially projected to be a more severe event. While there were no immediate reports of mass casualties in China following the landfall in Yuhuan, the government continues to monitor the storm’s path for risks of river overflow and agricultural inundation.
Keep reading