Typhoon Bavi made two landfalls in Zhejiang Province this week after previously battering Taiwan and Japan [1].

As the strongest storm to hit China this year, Bavi threatens critical infrastructure and human lives across eastern China [1, 2]. The scale of the disaster has forced authorities to issue urgent warnings regarding flash floods, torrential rain, and landslides [1, 2, 3].

Emergency measures have led to massive displacements of the population. Reports on the scale of these evacuations vary, with some sources saying more than 500,000 people were moved [2], while others indicate the number reached nearly 2 million [3].

The storm has caused significant disruptions to regional travel and logistics. Thousands of flights were cancelled as the cyclone moved across the region [1]. The system's intensity remained high as it crossed the coastline, contributing to the severity of the impact in Zhejiang [1].

Local officials have focused on clearing high-risk areas to prevent casualties from the predicted landslides. The storm's path through Taiwan and Japan prior to its arrival in China signaled the high level of instability and power the system carried [1, 2].

“Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm to hit China this year”

The discrepancy in evacuation numbers suggests a rapidly evolving crisis or differing metrics between local and international reporting. Because Bavi is the strongest storm to hit China in 2026, the resulting damage to Zhejiang's infrastructure could have long-term economic implications for one of China's most industrial provinces.