Super Typhoon Bavi Slams Eastern China, Over 2 Million Evacuated in Massive Relief Operation

Super Typhoon Bavi Slams Eastern China, Over 2 Million Evacuated in Massive Relief OperationBEIJING — Super Typhoon Bavi, the ninth typhoon of the 2026 season and the strongest July typhoon to strike Zhejiang since 1949, made landfall in eastern China over the weekend, unleashing destructive winds and torrential rain across a vast swath of the country. Authorities evacuated more than 2 million people in one of the largest storm-related evacuations in recent years.Double Landfall in ZhejiangThe storm first came ashore at approximately 11:20 p.m. on July 11 in Yuhuan City, a county-level city administered by Taizhou in Zhejiang Province, with maximum sustained winds of 144 kilometers per hour (89 mph) near its center. Less than an hour later, around midnight, Bavi made a second landfall in Yueqing City, under the jurisdiction of Wenzhou. This rare double-landfall event underscored the storm’s immense size and unpredictability.

At its peak, Bavi had been a super typhoon with maximum sustained winds reaching 290 km/h (180 mph), battering Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands before weakening as it traveled across the Pacific. The storm’s circulation spanned an estimated 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) at its widest point—roughly the width of France

Widespread Destruction and DisruptionThough Bavi weakened after landfall, its massive rain bands continued to lash large parts of eastern and central China. The storm caused widespread flooding, downed more than 1,300 trees across affected areas, and forced rescue teams to work through the night clearing debris.

Transportation networks were severely disrupted. In Hangzhou, Zhejiang’s capital, two major train stations suspended all services, and 327 flights were canceled at Xiaoshan International Airport. In Shanghai, a total of 1,620 trains and 684 flights were canceled. Shanghai’s Pudong and Hongqiao airports together canceled around 653 inbound and outbound flights.

In Yuhuan City, preliminary statistics showed the storm affected 155,000 people, with 35 homes collapsed or damaged and direct economic losses reaching 840 million yuan (approximately $124 million). More than 2,500 enterprises in the industrial and transportation sectors were affected, with estimated losses of 460 million yuan.Massive Evacuation and Emergency ResponseChinese authorities mounted an extraordinary response. Zhejiang Province alone evacuated approximately 2.2 million residents and opened more than 19,000 emergency shelters. Fujian Province evacuated over 180,000 people, Shanghai relocated more than 290,000 from at-risk areas, and Beijing ordered the evacuation of 100,000 residents.

Zhejiang raised its typhoon emergency response to Level I, the highest in China’s four-tier system. The National Meteorological Center issued a red alert for rainstorms—the highest level in the warning system—as well as an orange alert for the typhoon itself. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters activated a Level-IV emergency response for flood and typhoon control in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Sichuan.

Central authorities dispatched 70,000 items of disaster relief supplies—including folding beds, blankets, summer quilts, and family emergency kits—to Zhejiang, Tianjin, and Anhui to support displaced residents. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management pre-allocated 40 million yuan in emergency funds to support relief and recovery efforts in Fujian and Zhejiang. Additionally, the National Development and Reform Commission granted 100 million yuan (about $14.7 million) to Zhejiang for the emergency restoration of damaged roads, water conservancy facilities, schools, hospitals, and other public services.

Schools and training institutions suspended classes, 830 construction sites were shut down, and more than 400 scenic areas were closed to ensure public safety.Regional Impact Beyond Mainland ChinaBefore striking the Chinese mainland, Bavi had already swept through Japan’s Sakishima Islands and northern Taiwan. At least five people were injured in Japan, and thousands of households lost power. Taiwan’s fire department reported 134 people injured across the island, mostly from falls while riding motorcycles or bicycles in strong winds or due to slippery road surfaces. More than 14,000 people were evacuated in Taiwan, primarily from mountainous areas.

In the Philippines, heavy rains exacerbated by the southwest monsoon—intensified by Bavi—claimed at least 17 lives.Ongoing Threat as Storm Moves NorthThough Bavi weakened to a tropical storm as it moved inland, meteorologists warned that its impact should not be underestimated. The storm continued to draw vast amounts of tropical moisture northward, creating a sustained flow of humid air into northern China.

Chen Tao, chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Center, said Bavi was expected to cross Jiangsu and Shandong before entering the northern Yellow Sea around midday on Tuesday. Northern Liaoning and central Jilin could receive exceptionally heavy downpours, with isolated areas forecast to receive 300 to 450 millimeters of rain—potentially exceeding historical daily rainfall records in some places.

“The biggest threat to northern China may not be damaging winds, but days of torrential rainfall,” meteorologists said. The Ministry of Water Resources upgraded its flood alert to yellow—the third-highest level—warning that heavy rainfall could trigger flooding in rivers, mountain torrents, and urban waterlogging.

Looking ahead, Chen Tao said China is likely to face two to three more typhoons during the late July to early August flood season, with five to six typhoons expected to form over the Northwest Pacific and the South China Sea during the period