Typhoon Bavi forces evacuation of 1.7 mln in China's Zhejiang, kills 17 in Philippines

Dead and injured in the Philippines and Taiwan. No all-clear yet: "Bavi" is set to hit mainland China overnight into Sunday.

July 11, 2026 — 14:52

By Saturday morning, authorities in Taiwan reported 87 injuries; overnight into Sunday, "Bavi" was expected to make landfall in China. Photo: Chiang Ying-ying/ap/dpa

ap/kna — Before the arrival of Typhoon "Bavi," more than 1.7 million people in China's Zhejiang province were forced to leave their homes. An additional 34,000 people were evacuated in Shanghai, according to the state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua on Saturday. Previously, thousands had already been moved from coastal areas in southeastern China, such as the city of Ningde, to safer locations.

With maximum sustained wind speeds of 144 kilometers per hour, "Bavi" was expected to pass by Taiwan on Saturday, according to the Taiwanese weather authority. There and on southern Chinese islands, the outer bands of "Bavi" brought strong winds and heavy rain. Forecasts indicate that the typhoon will continue moving toward Zhejiang in eastern China and make landfall on the Chinese mainland overnight into Sunday.

Earlier, at least 17 people had died in southern Philippines, the local civil defense agency announced. Most were reportedly killed by landslides triggered by seasonal monsoon rains, which were intensified by the typhoon before it moved toward Taiwan.

China, Taiwan, and Japan Affected

In Japan, the southwestern prefecture of Okinawa was primarily affected. Authorities issued urgent warnings about strong winds, high waves, storm surges, landslides, and flooding.

From Japan, the storm moved toward Taiwan, where more than 25,000 households were without electricity on Saturday after "Bavi" damaged numerous power lines. Operations of 116 ferries in the island nation were suspended, and over 1,100 flights were canceled. Additionally, authorities reported 36 injuries.

China's National Meteorological Center issued an orange-level typhoon warning—the second-highest level in a four-tier warning system—prompting many schools to close and ferry services to be suspended. Hundreds of flights were canceled, and some high-speed rail connections were halted. According to state broadcaster CCTV, the center also issued its first red severe weather warning for the year on Saturday.

By 8 a.m. Saturday, Taiwanese authorities reported at least 87 injuries related to the typhoon. Some victims had suffered injuries while riding motorcycles in rainy and windy conditions on slippery roads.

Moreover, more than 14,200 people across the entire island were evacuated, including from Hualien County in the east and the central city of Taichung. School operations were suspended in many parts of Taiwan on Saturday.