China braced for second typhoon in a week as Bavi approaches landfall

Hundreds of thousands of residents have been evacuated from parts of eastern China as Typhoon Bavi, the second major storm to threaten the country in a week, approaches landfall. Typhoon Bavi spans 1,000km (620 miles) at its widest point—about the width of France—and is forecast to make landfall near the large metropolis of Wenzhou on Sunday morning. After battering a chain of distant Japanese islands, the system brought dense rainfall to Taiwan as it skimmed the island’s northern tip. Earlier landslides triggered by the storm killed 17 people in the Philippines. Although the typhoon has weakened to Category 1 strength, it remains hazardous because of the immense volume of moisture embedded in its rain bands. Authorities warned that Bavi will deliver "exceptionally dense rains" to eastern Zhejiang province and northeastern Fujian province, adding that evacuations were "undertaken wholly to defender against the [worst-case] scenario". Wenzhou, home to roughly 10 million people, lies close to the storm’s projected path. Bavi originated as a super typhoon, lashing Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands on Monday with wind speeds of 290km/h (180mph). As it traversed the Pacific, its winds diminished to 144 km/h before it struck the Sakishima islands, part of Japan’s Ryukyu island chain situated between the nation’s main islands and Taiwan. At least five individuals were injured and thousands lost power there. Taiwan did not suffer a direct hit, yet thousands of residents were forced to abandon their homes and officials warned of a landslide risk following heavy rain. No deaths have been reported in either Taiwan or the Philippines from this event.