China evacuated more than 1.8 million people on Saturday as Typhoon Bavi churned toward the major eastern city of Wenzhou. The storm had previously battered Japan's southern Sakishima island chain with heavy rain and strong winds, and brushed past northern Taiwan.
Even as Bavi continued to slow and weaken on its path over cooler seas, the typhoon retained a significant risk due to the large volume of moisture it carried within its rain bands, which stretched across a distance comparable to France.
As of Saturday morning, Typhoon Bavi had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, equivalent to a Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. It was located approximately 124 miles southeast of Wenling in the eastern province of Zhejiang, according to the National Meteorological Center.
Bavi was forecast to make landfall near Wenzhou, a city of about 10 million people, early on Sunday. State media reported that more than 1.7 million people had been evacuated across Zhejiang province and over 100,000 in the neighboring Fujian province.
While Japan and Taiwan did not report any fatalities attributed to the typhoon, 17 people died in the Philippines due to heavy rains exacerbated by Bavi's influence on a monsoon. Taiwan's fire department reported 87 injuries, primarily from falls or being struck by objects.
In Taiwan, the government evacuated over 14,000 people, mainly from mountainous regions, and closed down services in anticipation of the typhoon's approach. Despite not making landfall, the island implemented precautions due to forecasts predicting nearly three feet of rain in some areas. Most evacuations occurred in northern and eastern regions. Flight cancellations included 920 international flights, effectively closing Taiwan's main international airport, and all 282 domestic flights.
The main north-south high-speed rail line in Taiwan continued to operate with reduced service. In some parts of Taipei, residents experienced blustery winds and rain, though some viewed the conditions as manageable.
In Wenzhou, residents prepared for the storm, with some expressing a level of concern tempered by previous experiences with typhoons and confidence in government preparations. Families had stocked provisions for several days, with assurances from officials that supplies were generally well-maintained.