More than 260,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in China’s northeastern Liaoning province after Typhoon Bavi triggered widespread flooding, making it the strongest storm to hit mainland China this year.
Authorities warned that heavy rain would continue through Tuesday, with some areas expected to experience extreme downpours as the storm draws vast amounts of tropical moisture into northern China.
Schools and training institutions across affected areas have been ordered to suspend classes, while transport services have been largely disrupted in cities including Shenyang and Jilin.
Videos shared on Chinese social media showed a lighthouse in Shenyang, Liaoning’s provincial capital, breaking free after its high-voltage power line was severed before drifting through flooded streets and passing beneath a bridge.
Bavi, which formed over the Pacific Ocean 13 days ago, made landfall in eastern China on Saturday night. Despite weakening into a tropical storm, it has retained much of its structure and moisture, making it the longest-lasting tropical cyclone in the Asia-Pacific region so far this year.
Chinese meteorologists said the storm’s unusually well-preserved warm core has enabled it to maintain its strength while moving north towards the Korean Peninsula. They warned that rainfall could intensify further as the storm slows and releases the moisture it has accumulated.
