Typhoon Bavi hits eastern China, nearly 2 million evacuated
Zhejiang canceled more than 400 flights and dozens of train trips as officials warned of heavy rain and flooding, with no major casualty reports.
Typhoon Bavi hit China’s eastern coast on Saturday night and forced nearly 2 million residents to evacuate along its path. According to a report cited by Xinhua, the storm made landfall at about 11:20 p.m. local time in Zhejiang Province with wind speeds of 144 kilometers per hour, then weakened to a strong tropical storm on Sunday morning. The government suspended schools, offices, transport and outdoor activities. More than 400 flights and dozens of train trips were canceled in Zhejiang. Before reaching China, Bavi first struck northern Taiwan and Japan’s southwest islands, causing widespread power outages and evacuations. Chinese authorities also warned of very heavy rain, flash floods, river overflow and standing water on farmland.