Typhoon Bavi is sweeping across the Pacific toward Taiwan, and TPE country faces the first direct hit from a storm that spans 1,000km at its widest point. Taiwanese authorities say it could dump up to 1m of rainfall before making landfall in south-eastern China on Saturday.
Chen Ming-hui, a fisherman in Taiwan, said the water looked calm on Friday even as the storm closed in. “Don't be fooled by the nice and calm weather now. A storm like this could be the most terrifying,” he told.
Taiwan braces for 1m rainfall
Taiwan's Central Weather Administration told that Bavi is set to be the largest storm by size to hit the island since 1987. That warning has already moved beyond forecasting: 29,000 soldiers have been put on standby in Taiwan to help with relief efforts, while dozens of flights have been cancelled across the region and schools have suspended classes.
The practical question for Taiwan is not whether the storm will be felt, but where the heaviest rain will fall first. Officials say Bavi is expected to dump rain on Taiwan's north and east before the system continues toward south-eastern China, giving residents, farmers and fishermen a short window to secure boats, property and supplies.
South-eastern China prepares
China has warned of significant impact after Bavi smashes into south-eastern Fujian province on Saturday. Some forecasts suggest the storm could make landfall twice in China, a sequence that would extend the period of disruption rather than end it after the first strike.
Ma Jun, director of China's Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, said Bavi's remnants and outer rainbands could move from Jiangsu and Anhui provinces toward the Bohai Sea region. He warned northern provinces to “strengthen preparations,” pointing to a wider threat that reaches beyond the first landfall zone.
Philippines storm toll
Before Friday, landslides triggered by one of the strongest storms in decades killed at least 15 people in the southern Philippines. In Mindanao, families were buried overnight and rescuers were still searching for those missing, while moderate to heavy rains were expected to continue through the weekend.
That earlier destruction helps explain the urgency around Taiwan and south-eastern China now: Bavi is already linked to deadly landslides and, on current forecasts, still has two more landfalls in front of it. For residents in the storm's path, the immediate next step is to finish securing travel plans, homes and vessels before Saturday's arrival window closes.
