Typhoon Bavi makes landfall in Zhejiang; 1.8M evacuated across China, 17 dead in Philippines

Typhoon Bavi has made landfall in China's eastern Zhejiang province late Saturday night, according to state media, after carving a destructive path across the western Pacific. The storm has left a trail of disruption spanning multiple countries: triggering fatal landslides in the Philippines, knocking out power across parts of Japan and Taiwan, and prompting one of China's largest recent evacuation efforts, with more than 1.8 million people moved ahead of landfall. The major coastal city of Wenzhou is among the areas in the storm's path. Prior to striking the Chinese mainland, Bavi battered Japan's southern Sakishima island chain with heavy rain and strong winds while bringing life in Taiwan to a near standstill. The storm's broad impact across East Asia reflects its sustained intensity as it tracked northwestward through the region. ## Latest Update The most recent reporting from CBC News (July 11, 13:32Z) confirms China's evacuation figure has risen to over 1.8 million people, up from the 1.7 million cited in earlier DW reporting. The storm is now specifically targeting Wenzhou, a major eastern city, after already pummeling Japan's Sakishima islands with heavy rain — indicating the system retained significant strength even after its earlier interactions with Taiwan and Japan. ## Timeline - **2026-07-11T08:21Z (DW):** Typhoon Bavi causes severe disruption across East Asia — batters Japan's southern islands, brings Taiwan to near standstill, triggers deadly landslides in Philippines killing 17, knocks out power in Japan and Taiwan; hundreds of thousands evacuated in China ahead of expected landfall. - **2026-07-11T08:21Z (DW):** Bavi officially makes landfall in China's Zhejiang province late Saturday night per state media; over 1.7 million evacuated in China at time of report. - **2026-07-11T13:32Z (CBC News):** Evacuation count in China rises to over 1.8 million; storm targets major city of Wenzhou after pummeling Japan's Sakishima island chain; Taiwan brushed as storm continues northwest track. ## What to Watch - **Wenzhou impact assessment:** As Bavi moves inland over Zhejiang, watch for reports of flooding, infrastructure damage, and casualty figures from the Wenzhou metro area, which has a population of over 9 million. - **Casualty and displacement escalation:** The Philippines death toll of 17 was confirmed before full damage assessments in China, Taiwan, and Japan were complete — expect updated figures across all affected countries in the coming 12–24 hours. - **Storm weakening vs. inland flooding risk:** Typhoons often weaken rapidly after landfall but can still produce catastrophic rainfall inland; monitor river levels and dam status in Zhejiang and neighboring provinces for secondary flood threats.