Typhoon Bavi battered Japan’s southern Sakishima island chain with heavy rain and strong winds on Saturday as Taiwan evacuated more than 14,000 people ahead of the storm’s approach.
On Ishigaki Island in Okinawa prefecture, strong gusts sent debris flying through largely empty streets. At the same time, boats at the harbour were rocked by rough currents. The storm brought maximum sustained winds of 144 kph near its centre, with gusts forecast to reach up to 198 kph.
As Bavi approached Taiwan, authorities moved to safeguard communities in vulnerable areas, particularly mountainous regions, despite forecasts indicating the typhoon would not make landfall on the island. Officials warned that some areas could receive nearly one metre of rainfall.
The storm’s approach led to widespread disruptions across Taiwan, with 917 international flights and all 274 domestic flights cancelled. Most cities and counties also declared a typhoon holiday, closing offices and schools that were scheduled to operate on Saturday.
After passing northeast of Taiwan, Bavi is expected to continue towards eastern China, where it is forecast to make landfall near Wenzhou early on Sunday.
