Wenzhou, China - Emergency teams in coastal areas of eastern China spent Sunday clearing roads and public spaces clogged with uprooted trees and other debris after Typhoon Bavi swept through the region overnight. Excavators and chainsaws were deployed hours after the storm passed, as residents and officials assessed damage from wind and water.
Bavi, described by forecasters as roughly the size of France, weakened to a tropical storm by Sunday morning as it pushed inland, but officials cautioned that the system could still produce prolonged and widespread rainfall across eastern and northern China. The storm triggered a landslide and left some areas waterlogged as it moved inland.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of nearly 2 million people ahead of Bavi, most of them in Zhejiang province, a major economic and technology center. The storm first made landfall in the Zhejiang coastal city of Yuhuan at about 11:20 p.m. on Saturday (1520 GMT), and then came ashore again around midnight in Yueqing, part of the larger Wenzhou municipality.
State broadcaster CCTV reported extensive tree damage in Yueqing, where more than 1,300 trees fell and over 700 were completely uprooted. In parts of the city the deepest flooding reached about half the height of a vehicle tire. In the mountainous northern area of Wenzhou, footage shown on CCTV captured a landslide that sent large boulders onto a mountain road while swollen rivers submerged nearby trees.
Before reaching the Chinese mainland, Bavi passed to the north of Taiwan on Saturday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain across much of the island. In Miaoli county in the north, one location recorded almost 80 cm (31 inches) of rain, according to reports. Taiwan's fire department said on Sunday that 134 people had been injured during the storm, with most injuries caused by people falling from motorbikes, slipping or being struck by objects. No deaths were reported.
Disruption to air travel followed the approaching storm. Taiwan's transport ministry reported 137 international flights cancelled on Sunday, together with 62 domestic flight cancellations.
Immediate response and ongoing concerns
Emergency crews focused on reopening streets and clearing hazards, using heavy machinery to remove fallen trees and other obstacles. Local footage showed areas still waterlogged and mountain roads threatened by recent landslides. While Bavi had lost strength by morning, forecasts signaled continued rainfall that could affect wider regions of eastern and northern China.
Current status
Officials continued damage assessments and recovery work in impacted cities and counties, while authorities monitored rivers and slopes for signs of further instability as waters recede or shift.