China Evacuates 1.8 Million as Typhoon Bavi Approaches

As Typhoon Bavi approached Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, over 1.8 million residents were evacuated. The typhoon, which packed maximum sustained winds of 144 km/h (90 mph), was located 200 km southeast of Wenzhou and was expected to make landfall near the city, which has a population of 10 million.

State media reported that 1.7 million people were relocated within Zhejiang Province, while an additional 100,000 were evacuated from neighboring Fujian Province. Huang Xinghuan, a local grocer, closed her market ahead of the storm, ensuring her household had enough drinking water for two to three days.

In Taiwan, the typhoon caused heavy rainfall and led to the evacuation of 14,000 people, primarily from mountainous regions. The storm disrupted air travel, resulting in the cancellation of 920 international flights and 282 domestic flights, affecting the main international airport in Taoyuan near Taipei.

Nearly every city and county in Taiwan declared a typhoon holiday, closing offices and schools.