Taiwan, Japan and south-eastern China brace for Typhoon Bavi as landslides kill 15 in Philippines
Landslides triggered by one of the strongest storms in decades have killed at least 15 people in the southern Philippines, as parts of East Asia brace for the coming storm.
Spanning 1,000 km (620 miles) at its widest point – roughly the width of France – Typhoon Bavi is moving across the Pacific towards Taiwan.
Rain is expected to fall over northern and eastern Taiwan and a number of remote Japanese islands before making landfall in southeastern China on Saturday.
Dozens of flights were canceled while schools across the region suspended classes. Supermarket shelves were wiped clean as residents stocked up on supplies ahead of the typhoon.
On the Philippine island of Mindanao, families were buried by landslides overnight and rescue teams are still searching for those missing.
Moderate to heavy rains will continue to inundate parts of the country through the weekend, officials said.
Taiwanese officials warned that Bavi could bring up to 1 meter (39 inches) of rainfall. About 29,000 soldiers were on standby to assist with relief efforts, according to the island’s defense ministry.
Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration told Reuters that Bavi would be the largest storm large enough to hit the island since 1987.
As the weather was pleasant in the early hours of Friday, farmers in the region flocked to harvest or preserve their crops, while fishermen strictly ensured the security of their boats.
“Don’t be fooled by the current nice and calm weather. A storm like this can be very scary,” fisherman Chen Ming-hui, 60, told Reuters.
Thousands of sandbags were distributed to residents and shop owners in flood-prone areas.
Across the strait, China also warned of the “significant impact” of the typhoon, which could move northward after hitting southeastern Fujian province.
“Bavi’s large size and abundant energy mean that its remnants and outer rainbands could move from Jiangsu and Anhui provinces towards the Bohai Sea region,” said Ma Jun, director of the China Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs.
The official warned that northern states, which have “less experience” in dealing with typhoons compared to the south, should “strengthen their preparations”.
Some predictions suggest Bavi may land in China twice.
