Typhoon Bavi has triggered widespread chaos across East Asia, resulting in deadly landslides in the Philippines, massive power outages in Japan and Taiwan, and mass evacuations in China. The storm, which originated as a super typhoon over the US Pacific territories of Guam and the Northern Marianas last week, has left a significant trail of destruction throughout the region.
In the Philippines, the storm claimed at least 17 lives, with nine additional people reported missing in the southern island of Mindanao. According to the country’s meteorological agency, 10 people died in a landslide in the town of Malapatan, Sarangani, while two individuals drowned in Bukidnon province. Another landslide in Lanao del Sur resulted in five deaths and at least four injuries. Overall, the storm has impacted more than 500,000 people, with over 11,000 residents displaced from their homes.
As the typhoon moved toward Japan, it lashed the Sakishima island chain in Okinawa prefecture with sustained winds reaching 144 kilometers (90 miles) per hour. The impact was severe, causing power outages for more than 24,000 households and leading to the cancellation of 345 flights alongside the suspension of ferry services.
Taiwan also faced significant disruption, with over 150,000 households losing electricity. Authorities initiated the evacuation of more than 10,000 people living in areas vulnerable to landslides. Furthermore, Taiwanese authorities have also closed schools and offices for two days, and more than 1,100 domestic and international flights were grounded. Despite being downgraded from a super typhoon, the storm continued to batter the capital, Taipei, with winds exceeding 100 kph and over a meter of rainfall, which toppled trees, downed power lines, and caused localized flooding.
The storm is currently tracking toward China’s southeast coast, where it is forecast to make landfall near Wenzhou early Sunday. Chinese authorities have issued flood alerts and evacuated more than 600,000 people from vulnerable regions. In Fuzhou City, emergency teams have been deployed to trim trees along major roads to mitigate hazards during high winds. Meanwhile, Beijing and several northern provinces were also braced for heavy rainfall expected to follow, as the region remains particularly sensitive due to flooding caused by a previous typhoon just last week. Don’t let the algorithm hide the news. If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your preferred source on Google by clicking here and hitting the “star” or “preferred” button, so you’ll always see our verified news first.
Although the storm has been downgraded from a super typhoon as it has moved westwards, "winds exceeding 100 kph and more than a meter of rainfall are battering the capital Taipei, toppling trees and power lines, swelling rivers and causing localized flooding," Glauert reported.
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