Typhoon Bavi has unleashed widespread destruction across East Asia, leaving a trail of devastation that began with deadly landslides in the Philippines and progressed to severe infrastructure failures in Japan and Taiwan. As the storm tracks toward the Chinese mainland, authorities have initiated massive evacuations to mitigate the impact of the approaching weather system.
In the Philippines, the storm claimed at least 17 lives, with an additional nine individuals reported missing on the southern island of Mindanao. According to the country’s meteorological agency, the fatalities included ten people killed in a landslide in the town of Malapatan, Sarangani province, two who drowned in Bukidnon, and five who perished in a landslide in Lanao del Sur. The agency also confirmed that at least four others were injured. The impact has been significant, affecting over 500,000 people and forcing more than 11,000 to flee their homes.
As the typhoon moved toward Japan, it lashed the Sakishima island chain in Okinawa prefecture with sustained winds reaching 144 kilometers (90 miles) per hour. The resulting damage left more than 24,000 households without electricity, while transport networks were crippled by the cancellation of 345 flights and the suspension of ferry services.
Taiwan faced similarly chaotic conditions as the storm brought life to a near standstill. According to DW correspondent Rik Glauert, the typhoon prompted the evacuation of more than 10,000 people at risk of landslides and cut power to over 150,000 households. Taiwanese authorities have also closed schools and offices for two days and canceled more than 1,100 domestic and international flights. Even as the storm weakened from its initial “super typhoon” status, it continued to dump over a meter of rainfall on Taipei, toppling trees, damaging power lines, and causing localized flooding.
Looking ahead, the storm is projected to strike China’s eastern coast near Wenzhou early Sunday. Chinese authorities have already issued flood alerts and evacuated more than 600,000 people from vulnerable areas. With the country still recovering from heavy flooding caused by a previous typhoon just last week, emergency teams in Fuzhou City have been deployed to trim trees and secure infrastructure. Meanwhile, Beijing and several northern provinces are preparing for the heavy rainfall expected as the system moves inland.
The storm, which began as a "super typhoon" over the US Pacific territories of Guam and the Northern Marianas last week, also triggered floods and landslides in the Philippines, killing at least 17 people, while nine were missing in the southern island of Mindanao.
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