China evacuated more than 1.8 million people on Saturday as Typhoon Bavi churned toward Wenzhou, a major eastern city of 10 million, after the storm pummelled Japan's southern Sakishima island chain and brushed past northern Taiwan. The massive displacement operation unfolded across two provinces as authorities braced for landfall early Sunday.
The storm packed maximum sustained winds of 144 km per hour, equivalent to Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, and was positioned about 200 km southeast of Wenling in Zhejiang province as of 0808 GMT, according to the National Meteorological Center. Despite weakening on its northwesterly path over cooler seas, Bavi remained a potent threat because of the sheer volume of moisture held within its rain bands, which stretched about the size of France from end to end.
Provincial Response
State media reported more than 1.7 million people had been evacuated across Zhejiang province, where Wenzhou is located, and more than 100,000 in neighbouring Fujian province. The scale of the evacuation demonstrated the government's capacity to mobilize resources quickly, though such operations come with significant economic costs as businesses shut down and transportation networks halt.
In Wenzhou, resident Huang Xinghuan, 50, was out buying groceries at a traditional wet market before it closed ahead of the typhoon. "I'm a little worried, but I think it'll be OK. We've been through typhoons before. We'll get through it," he said. Huang said his family had stocked about two to three days' worth of water. "I think supplies are well guaranteed now. There's no need to panic or stockpile a lot of food or other supplies," he added.
Wenzhou resident Chen Qiuqin, in her 60s, walked through steady rain on her way to her parents' home to help them prepare. "I was worried about the flowerpots on my mother's balcony, so I'm going to help move them inside. My parents are both elderly and they're home alone, so I wasn't at ease," she said. Her comments reflected a community-level response that didn't rely solely on government intervention.
Taiwan's Shutdown
Taiwan's government evacuated more than 14,000 people from mainly mountainous areas as the island shut down for Bavi's approach to the north. While Bavi didn't make landfall in Taiwan, the government took precautions given forecasts for almost 1 metre of rain in some areas. Most evacuees were in the north and east.
The storm's economic impact on Taiwan was immediate and substantial. Airlines cancelled 920 international flights, effectively closing Taiwan's main international airport at Taoyuan outside the capital Taipei, as well as all 282 domestic flights. Almost all cities and counties across Taiwan declared a typhoon holiday for Saturday, closing offices and schools that may have been open on the weekend.
Some businesses remained operational despite the shutdown. In Taipei, restaurants and convenience stores stayed open, and the main north-south high-speed rail line continued to operate with reduced service. The mixed response showed how private businesses weighed risks and opportunities differently than government mandates suggested.
Regional Toll
Japan and Taiwan hadn't reported any deaths from the typhoon as of Saturday. Taiwan's fire department said 87 people had been injured, mostly falls from motorcycles or bicycles, as well as people falling over or being struck by objects. However, 17 people died in the Philippines due to heavy rains brought by an enhanced southwest monsoon, worsened by Bavi's impact.
In downtown Taipei, some people ventured out despite blustery wind and rain. "It's OK, it's not that serious," said Yeh Mao-hsiung, 68, out for a morning walk with his dog. "It's just a little bit more wind." But in Taipei's Beitou neighbourhood in the foothills, gusts of around 100 kph knocked down trees and swelled rivers, demonstrating the storm's variable impact across even small geographic areas.
Why This Matters:
The evacuation of 1.8 million people across China's eastern provinces represents a massive logistical operation with significant economic consequences. When major cities like Wenzhou shut down ahead of natural disasters, the immediate costs include lost business revenue, disrupted supply chains, and halted manufacturing operations. Taiwan's closure of its main international airport and cancellation of more than 1,200 flights affects not just tourism but also the island's crucial semiconductor and technology export industries, which depend on just-in-time global supply chains. The storm's path through economically vital coastal regions underscores the vulnerability of Asia's manufacturing heartland to natural disasters. While government-mandated evacuations can save lives, they also demonstrate the limits of central planning when individual residents and business owners must make their own risk assessments about staying or leaving, stocking supplies, and protecting property.