As of July 12, 2026, at 9:47 AM EDT, after making landfall in the Zhejiang province of eastern China, Typhoon Bavi has weakened into a tropical storm. Despite the reduction in intensity as the system moved northwest toward Anhui province, authorities at China’s National Meteorological Center warned that the storm continues to pose a significant threat with ongoing strong winds and heavy rainfall expected to persist through Monday.
The impact of the massive weather system, which spans approximately 620 miles at its widest point, has prompted widespread emergency measures. State media reports indicate that more than 2.2 million people were evacuated in Zhejiang province alone. Additionally, authorities in Shanghai relocated over 290,000 residents from vulnerable areas, while Fujian province saw the evacuation of more than 180,000 individuals.
Infrastructure in the region has sustained notable damage. In the coastal city of Yueqing, state broadcaster CCTV reported that more than 1,300 trees were toppled, with at least 700 of those being completely uprooted. Transportation has also been heavily affected, with the official Xinhua News Agency noting that Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport expected to cancel roughly 653 inbound and outbound flights due to the storm’s presence.
Prior to its arrival in China, the storm passed north of Taiwan on Saturday. While it did not make direct landfall on the island, Taiwan’s fire department confirmed that at least 134 people sustained injuries, many occurring while individuals were riding motorcycles or bicycles in the high winds or navigating slippery road conditions.
Bavi first emerged as a “super typhoon” when it made landfall near Guam in the western Pacific. At that time, it brought torrential rain and powerful winds to the Northern Mariana Islands, a region that was still in the process of recovering from a previous major storm that struck earlier this spring. As the current system continues its path, officials remain concerned that the sheer volume of moisture carried by the storm will continue to create dangerous conditions in the areas it traverses.
Even as a tropical storm, Bavi could continue to wreak havoc. As CBS partner BBC News reported, the system is massive, spanning about 620 miles at its widest point, and the sheer amount of moisture it carries will pose ongoing risks to places along its path.
