Typhoon Bavi Tracker: Taiwan, China Brace for Powerful Storm With Flooding and Storm Surge Threat

Taiwan and China have stepped up emergency measures on Thursday after Typhoon Bavi strengthened over the Philippine Sea and is heading towards East Asia. China’s National Meteorological Centre predicted it will pass over northern Taiwan before hitting the eastern coast of Fujian province Saturday evening.

The Central Weather Administration (CWA) of Taiwan forecast an ocean warning Thursday, followed by a land warning between Thursday night and early Friday. Bavi has a radius of about 380 kilometers (236 miles) and is one of the biggest typhoons to menace Taiwan in decades, the agency said.

The storm is predicted to dump the heaviest rainfall on Taiwan on Friday and Saturday with the greatest amounts anticipated in central and northern areas, in Yilan and mountainous areas of Hualien.

Authorities Suspend Ferry Services, Deploy Disaster Response

Taiwanese authorities urged residents to prepare for prolonged severe weather as local governments cleared drainage systems and activated emergency response plans.

President William Lai called on residents in a Facebook post to prepare emergency supply kits containing enough food, water and other necessities for at least three days.

The government also placed nearly 29,000 troops on disaster-prevention standby ahead of the storm’s arrival.

According to the Maritime and Port Bureau, all ferry services in eastern Taiwan have been suspended, while the Keelung-Matsu route will remain suspended through Saturday.

CWA forecaster Jason Chang said Bavi is expected to become Taiwan’s largest typhoon by size since 1987, noting that storms of comparable scale have become relatively uncommon in recent years.

Japan Cancels Flights as Okinawa Braces for Severe Weather

The typhoon has also disrupted air travel in Japan.

Japan Airlines said it canceled 48 domestic flights scheduled for Friday, affecting about 7,610 passengers.

On Friday, the Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) said it will cancel 34 domestic flights, mainly to and from Okinawa’s Ishigaki and Miyako airports, that will impact some 1,800 passengers. The airline also aims to cancel another 33 domestic flights on Saturday, affecting some 5,900 travellers.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued alerts to people in all areas of Okinawa Prefecture to be on the lookout for strong winds, landslides, flooding and storm surges throughout the weekend.

China Continues Flood Recovery as Another Storm Approaches

Bavi arrives while southern China is still recovering from the effects of Typhoon Maysak.

Local officials in Guangxi said at a news conference Thursday that flooding triggered by Maysak killed at least 39 people, while nine others remain missing.

The approaching storm has raised concerns that additional heavy rainfall could complicate ongoing recovery efforts in parts of eastern China.

Experts Warn Typhoon Could Remain Dangerous Despite Weakening

Xiangbo Feng, a tropical cyclone research scientist at Imperial College London, said Bavi strengthened over warm ocean waters for an extended period, allowing it to accumulate substantial moisture and energy.

“We should pay much attention to Bavi as it has spent a long time intensifying over the open Pacific, extracting energy from warm ocean and accumulating large amounts of moisture,” Feng told the Taipei Times. “When it would make landfall or get close to coastal regions, the damage could be catastrophic. A small change in Bavi’s track could have a significant influence.”

AccuWeather international forecasting expert Jason Nicholls said some weakening is expected but warned the cyclone will remain dangerous as it approaches Taiwan and eastern China.

“Some loss of wind intensity is anticipated starting Thursday, but Bavi will remain a dangerous storm as it impacts Taiwan and eastern China later Friday into Monday,” Nicholls told the Taipei Times.

Typhoon Bavi Background

Typhoon Bavi made landfall over the Northern Mariana Islands as a Category 5 storm on July 6 with maximum sustained winds of approximately 290 kph (180 mph) over Rota. Local authorities announced that the roads were clogged, the power supply was down and water supplies were affected and port infrastructure had concerns.

The storm is forecast to approach China’s eastern coast this weekend, having skirted the Yaeyama Islands of Japan ahead of this weekend. Its trajectory continues to be closely tracked by authorities throughout the region as even slight shifts in its path could have major impacts on regions where the strongest winds, rain and storm surge are felt.