China Evacuates Millions as Typhoon Bavi Hits East Asia

Chinese authorities evacuated between one million ^[1] and 1.8 million ^[2] people on Saturday as Typhoon Bavi approached the eastern coast.

The scale of the displacement underscores the storm's potential for catastrophic flooding and landslides across densely populated coastal regions. Because the system has already caused fatalities across three other countries, officials are treating the landfall with high alert.

Emergency measures are concentrated in eastern China, including the city of Wenzhou. The storm's trajectory has already left a trail of destruction across the southern Philippines, where at least 17 people died ^[1]. In other parts of China, storm-related incidents claimed 50 lives this week ^[3].

Taiwan has taken extensive precautions to protect its infrastructure and population. The government placed around 29,000 troops on standby ^[4] to assist with disaster relief and emergency response. Local authorities also halted stock trading and closed schools to minimize risk to the public.

Meteorologists warned of extreme precipitation in Taiwan, specifically in the mountainous regions north of Taipei, where rainfall could reach up to one metre ^[4]. The storm's path has also impacted Japan’s southern islands, bringing intense winds and heavy rain before moving toward the Chinese mainland.

Chinese emergency officials said the mass evacuations were necessary due to the threat of intense winds and heavy rainfall. These conditions frequently trigger mudslides in mountainous terrain and storm surges in low-lying coastal areas, risks that have already manifested in the Philippines and Taiwan.