Japan’s southwestern islands and Taiwan stepped up emergency measures as Typhoon Bavi swept across the region, disrupting hundreds of flights and ferry services, cutting electricity supplies and raising the risk of severe flooding and landslides.
The powerful storm passed close to Japan’s Sakishima Islands in Okinawa Prefecture early on Saturday, July 11, bringing sustained winds of around 144 kilometres per hour and gusts forecast to reach 198kph.
Authorities warned residents to remain indoors and prepare for destructive winds, torrential rain, storm surges and flash flooding. Local reports described Bavi as potentially the strongest typhoon to threaten the area in about three decades.
Heavy rain and strong winds swept across Ishigaki Island as residents reinforced windows, secured outdoor objects and placed protective netting around homes and businesses.
Supermarkets were crowded as shoppers stocked up on food and essential supplies, with shelves of instant noodles quickly emptied amid concerns over prolonged power cuts.
Beaches and coastal parks were closed, while ferry services scheduled for Friday and Saturday were suspended. The cancellations left some tourists stranded and unable to travel to neighbouring islands.
Nearly 900 buildings across Okinawa Prefecture had lost electricity by Friday afternoon, with further outages expected as the storm moved closer.
Flights and ferries serving Ishigaki remained suspended on Saturday as debris was blown across largely deserted streets.
More Than 1,000 Flights Cancelled
Airlines cancelled hundreds of services across Japan, Taiwan and other parts of East Asia.
Japan Airlines grounded more than 100 flights scheduled for Friday and Saturday, affecting nearly 20,000 passengers. All Nippon Airways cancelled more than 160 flights through Sunday, disrupting travel for a similar number of people.
Taiwan later reported that 1,191 flights had been cancelled, including all 274 domestic services and 917 international flights.
Taiwanese airlines suspended departures from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, while Cathay Pacific cancelled weekend services between Hong Kong and Taiwan, along with selected flights to Hangzhou, Ningbo and Fuzhou in eastern China.
Taiwan’s high-speed railway continued operating between the north and south of the island, although services were reduced.
Although Bavi was not expected to make landfall in Taiwan, its broad circulation brought strong winds and heavy rain across much of the island.
More than 14,000 people were evacuated, mainly from mountainous communities in northern and eastern Taiwan, where authorities warned of landslides and flooding.
Forecasts suggested that some areas could receive almost one metre of accumulated rainfall, despite the typhoon gradually weakening.
Nearly all cities and counties declared a typhoon holiday, closing government offices and schools that would otherwise have opened over the weekend. Almost 29,000 military personnel were placed on standby to assist with evacuations and emergency operations.
Sandbag distribution points were established across Taipei, particularly in flood-prone neighbourhoods, where residents placed barriers across the entrances of homes and businesses.
President Lai Ching-te said Bavi had weakened and been downgraded to a moderate typhoon under Taiwan’s classification system. However, he warned that its wide storm radius could still bring dangerous winds and intense rainfall.
The storm also disrupted Taiwan’s technology sector. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co postponed the release of its June sales figures from Friday until Monday because of the typhoon-related shutdown.
Taiwan is a major global semiconductor manufacturing hub, and severe weather can affect staffing, transport and business operations even when production facilities remain protected.
Bavi also strengthened the southwest monsoon in the Philippines, bringing heavy rainfall to parts of the country.
Ten people were killed in a landslide on the southern island of Mindanao, according to a disaster-management official.
Typhoon Heads Towards Eastern China
After passing northeast of Taiwan and battering Japan’s Sakishima Islands, Bavi was forecast to continue west towards China.
The storm was expected to make landfall near Wenzhou, a coastal city of about 10 million people, early on Sunday.
Fishing boats in nearby communities returned to harbour, while some vessels were hauled ashore as residents prepared for strong winds, heavy rain and rough seas.
Authorities across Japan, Taiwan and China warned that areas outside the typhoon’s direct path could still face dangerous rainfall, flooding and widespread transport disruption.
