China, Taiwan and parts of Japan are preparing for what forecasters warn could become one of the most destructive tropical storms to strike the region in decades, as Typhoon Bavi continues to strengthen over the western Pacific while communities are still recovering from the devastation caused by Typhoon Maysak.
With sustained winds approaching 200kmh and a massive circulation spanning nearly 1,000km across, Bavi is expected to brush northern Taiwan before making landfall in China’s eastern Fujian province late Saturday. Meteorologists say the storm’s enormous size, combined with heavy rainfall and storm surges, poses a serious threat to millions of people across East Asia.
Authorities throughout the region have accelerated emergency preparations, issuing evacuation advisories, mobilising rescue teams, cancelling flights and warning residents to secure property as Bavi advances toward densely populated coastal areas.
The storm arrives only days after Typhoon Maysak left a trail of destruction across southern China, killing at least 39 people and leaving nine others missing in Guangxi. Recovery efforts remain underway as emergency workers race against time before another major weather system strikes.
Taiwan is expected to experience some of the earliest and most severe impacts from Typhoon Bavi, with meteorologists warning of torrential rain, destructive winds and the possibility of widespread flooding and landslides.
The Central Weather Administration forecasts that mountainous areas north of Taipei could receive as much as one metre of rainfall over the coming days. Such rainfall could trigger flash floods, mudslides and significant disruption to transportation networks.
The Ministry of National Defense has placed approximately 29,000 soldiers on standby to assist with disaster response operations, including evacuations, rescue missions and relief efforts should communities become isolated by flooding or landslides.
Officials say Bavi could become Taiwan’s most powerful typhoon since Typhoon Kong-rey struck in 2024, an event that claimed three lives and caused widespread infrastructure damage.
Forecasters are particularly concerned about the sheer size of Bavi rather than wind speeds alone.
Jason Chang, a forecaster with Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, said storms of Bavi’s scale have become increasingly uncommon in recent years.
According to Chang, Bavi is expected to become the largest typhoon by geographic size to affect Taiwan since 1987, significantly increasing the area that could experience damaging winds and prolonged rainfall.
Unlike compact tropical cyclones, larger storms can expose vast regions to dangerous weather simultaneously, making emergency operations considerably more complex.
Meteorologists describe Bavi as an unusually expansive tropical cyclone.
Currently measuring roughly 1,000 kilometres across at its widest point—approximately the width of France—the storm is expected to influence weather conditions far beyond its projected centre.
China’s National Meteorological Centre forecasts that the typhoon will skirt Taiwan’s northern coastline before moving westward toward Fujian Province, where landfall is expected on Saturday evening.
Even if the storm weakens slightly before reaching land, experts caution that its enormous moisture content and broad wind field will continue producing dangerous conditions for several days.
Jason Nicholls, a meteorologist with commercial forecasting service AccuWeather, said Bavi is likely to remain a dangerous storm despite gradual weakening.
He noted that while some reduction in wind intensity is anticipated beginning Thursday, the typhoon is still expected to bring severe impacts across Taiwan and eastern China from late Friday into Monday.
Across Taiwan’s northeastern coastline, preparations intensified as residents rushed to protect homes, businesses and fishing vessels before weather conditions deteriorate.
In the port town of Suao, hundreds of fishing boats crowded into the harbour seeking shelter from rough seas expected over the weekend.
Local authorities distributed sandbags to residents hoping to reduce flooding, while farmers hurried to harvest rice crops before heavy rains arrived.
For many locals, memories of previous destructive typhoons remain vivid.
Chen Ming-hui, a 60-year-old captain operating a three-tonne fishing boat, spent the day checking mooring lines and reinforcing his vessel.
He expressed hope that the storm would shift further north, sparing the town from a direct hit.
Recalling earlier typhoons that sank fishing boats and inundated neighbourhoods, Chen warned against complacency.
“Don’t be fooled by the nice and calm weather now,” he said while inspecting ropes securing his boat. “A storm like this could be the most terrifying.”
His concerns are shared by thousands of residents living in low-lying coastal communities vulnerable to storm surges and flash flooding.
The arrival of Typhoon Bavi comes as southern China continues recovering from Typhoon Maysak, which unleashed catastrophic flooding across Guangxi earlier this week.
Local officials confirmed Thursday that at least 39 people died during the storm while nine others remain missing.
Search-and-rescue teams continue combing through damaged communities, using heavy machinery and specialised equipment to search collapsed buildings and flooded areas.
Emergency workers are also restoring roads, electricity and communications disrupted by floodwaters.
State media footage showed dramatic rescue scenes in which residents climbed from second-storey apartment windows onto the backs of rescue personnel after floodwaters engulfed entire neighbourhoods.
In isolated communities inaccessible by road, drones have been deployed to deliver food, medicine and emergency supplies.
Authorities fear additional rainfall from Bavi could further complicate rescue operations and worsen flooding across already saturated regions.
The scale of destruction left by Maysak remains staggering.
Entire communities remain covered in mud while damaged homes, collapsed infrastructure and submerged farmland continue to hamper recovery efforts.
Images published by Beijing News showed rows of dead pigs floating at a farm in Binyang County after floodwaters submerged the facility for two days.
The decomposing livestock highlighted the heavy agricultural losses suffered across Guangxi, where many farmers now face significant economic hardship.
Livestock losses, damaged crops and destroyed infrastructure are expected to affect local food production and incomes long after floodwaters recede.
Wildlife facilities were also severely affected.
According to reports, three lions drowned at Guigang Zoo after floodwaters overwhelmed animal enclosures.
Zoo operator Wang Liyuan said approximately 100 animals—including two zebras, four porcupines, dozens of parrots and two North American raccoons—remain missing following the flooding.
Authorities continue searching for escaped animals while assessing damage to the facility.
Although Taiwan and eastern China are expected to bear the brunt of Typhoon Bavi, Japan’s southern islands are also preparing for dangerous weather.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned residents in Okinawa Prefecture to remain on high alert through Friday and Saturday as strong winds, heavy rainfall and storm surges approach.
Officials warned of heightened risks of landslides, river flooding and coastal inundation, urging residents to follow evacuation instructions if conditions deteriorate.
Transportation across southern Japan has already been disrupted.
Japan Airlines announced the cancellation of 48 domestic flights and two international services scheduled for Friday.
The airline estimated that approximately 7,610 passengers would be affected by the cancellations.
All Nippon Airways also suspended numerous services, cancelling 34 flights primarily serving Okinawa’s Ishigaki and Miyako airports on Friday, impacting around 1,800 travellers.
An additional 33 domestic flights scheduled for Saturday have also been cancelled, affecting roughly 5,900 passengers.
Airlines advised passengers to monitor updated schedules as weather forecasts continue evolving.
Typhoon Bavi has also affected international air travel across Asia.
Singapore Airlines announced the cancellation of four flights operating between Singapore and Taipei due to severe weather associated with the approaching storm.
The carrier has also retimed two additional services to minimise operational disruptions.
Budget airline Scoot cancelled 12 flights connecting Singapore with Tokyo, Sapporo and Seoul via Taipei, citing safety concerns and deteriorating weather conditions.
Travellers have been encouraged to check flight schedules before departing for airports as additional cancellations remain possible.
Airlines across the region continue monitoring the storm’s path closely, with further operational adjustments expected should Bavi change direction or intensify.
Scientists say increasingly powerful storms affecting East Asia reflect a broader trend linked to rising global temperatures.
China, Taiwan and Japan have experienced a growing number of severe weather events in recent years, including record-breaking rainfall, flooding, heatwaves and stronger tropical cyclones.
Warmer ocean temperatures provide additional energy for developing storms, often allowing typhoons to intensify more rapidly and carry greater amounts of moisture.
Researchers are also monitoring the anticipated emergence of El Niño, a naturally occurring climate pattern that can alter atmospheric circulation and sea surface temperatures across the Pacific Ocean.
Meteorologists warn that El Niño conditions may contribute to a more active typhoon season, increasing both the frequency and intensity of storms affecting East Asia.
Climate scientists emphasise that Typhoon Bavi’s prolonged journey across exceptionally warm Pacific waters has allowed it to strengthen steadily while accumulating vast amounts of moisture.
Xiangbo Feng, a tropical cyclone researcher at Imperial College London, warned that the storm deserves close attention because of its development over the open ocean.
He said Bavi had spent considerable time drawing energy from unusually warm waters, enabling it to intensify into an exceptionally large and dangerous weather system.
According to Feng, the storm could produce catastrophic damage if it makes landfall or passes close to densely populated coastal regions.
He also stressed that even relatively small changes in the typhoon’s projected track could dramatically alter which communities experience the worst impacts.
Because tropical cyclones frequently shift course during their final approach to land, emergency managers continue urging residents not to focus solely on forecast maps but to remain prepared for rapidly changing conditions.
As Bavi approaches, governments across the region face the difficult task of balancing ongoing recovery efforts from previous storms with preparations for another potentially devastating disaster.
Emergency shelters have been readied, rescue personnel deployed and supplies pre-positioned in vulnerable communities.
Authorities continue urging residents to monitor official weather updates, avoid unnecessary travel and follow evacuation instructions where required.
For many communities still clearing debris left behind by Maysak, the arrival of another powerful typhoon represents a daunting challenge.
Meteorologists say the coming days will be critical as Bavi nears Taiwan before moving toward China’s eastern coastline.
Whether the storm weakens before landfall or maintains much of its current strength, officials agree that its immense size, heavy rainfall and powerful winds make it one of the most significant weather threats facing East Asia in recent years.
