China evacuates more than 1 million people as Typhoon Bavi passes Taiwan, hits southern Japan

China evacuated more than 1.8 million people on Saturday as Typhoon Bavi battered the eastern metropolis of Wenzhou after battering the southern Japanese island of Sakishima with heavy rain and strong winds and passing over northern Taiwan.

Even if Bavi continues to slow and weaken in its northwesterly path over the temperate seas, the typhoon is still very dangerous due to the large amount of moisture it carries between the rain belts, about the size of France from end to end.

Bavi had sustained winds of 144 km/h, equivalent to Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Bavi is expected to arrive in Wenzhou, home to about 10 million people, early Sunday.

State media said more than 1.7 million people had been evacuated from Zhejiang province, where Wenzhou is located, and more than 100,000 from neighboring Fujian province.

“I’m a little worried, but I think it will be okay. We’ve experienced typhoons before. We’ll get through it,” said Wenzhou resident Huang Xinghuan, 50, who was out shopping for groceries at the wet market before it closed ahead of the typhoon.

Huang said his family had had enough water for two to three days. “I think that the goods are well secured now. There is no need to panic or collect a lot of food or other things,” he said.

While Japan and Taiwan did not report any deaths from the typhoon, 17 people died in the Philippines due to heavy rains brought by the advanced southwest typhoon, which worsened the impact of Bavi.

Taiwan’s fire department said 87 people were injured, most of them falling from motorcycles or bicycles, as well as people falling or being hit by objects.

Taiwan is condemned to the worst

In Taiwan, the government has evacuated more than 14,000 people from many mountainous areas as the island is closed to the approach of Bavi in ​​the north.

Although the typhoon did not hit Taiwan, the government took precautionary measures to prevent loss of life, due to the large amount of rain.

Most of those evacuated were in the north and east, with 920 international flights canceled, effectively shutting down Taiwan’s main international airport in Taoyuan, outside the capital Taipei, and all 282 domestic flights.

Almost every city and district across Taiwan declared a typhoon holiday on Saturday, closing any offices and schools that may have been open over the weekend – although in Taipei, some restaurants and convenience stores remained open.

The north-south high-speed rail line also continued to operate but with reduced service.

In downtown Taipei, some people were still out on the street because of the strong wind and rain.

“I’m not that serious,” said Yeh Mao-hsiung, 68, out for a morning walk with his dog. “Just a little wind.”

But in Taipei’s Beitou area, at the foot of the mountains surrounding the city, a gust of up to 100 km/h toppled trees and swelled rivers.

In Wenzhou, Chen Qiuqin, walked through the pouring rain to his parents’ home to help them prepare for the typhoon, but said he is not too worried if the government is preparing.

“I was worried about the flower pots on my mother’s balcony, so I will help move them. My parents are both old and live alone at home, so I was uncomfortable,” he said.