China Hit by Second Typhoon in a Week

Powerful Typhoon Bavi has made landfall in China, becoming the second typhoon to hit the country within a week. Nearly 2 million people have been evacuated from areas along the storm’s path to avoid potential damage.

The nearly 1,000-kilometer-wide Typhoon Bavi first struck the coastal city of Taizhou on Saturday evening. It then made a second landfall in Wenzhou shortly after midnight, Chinese authorities said.

Earlier, the storm battered several remote Japanese islands and brought heavy rainfall as it passed north of Taiwan. At least 17 people have been killed in landslides triggered by the storm in the Philippines.

Although Bavi has now weakened into a severe tropical storm, meteorologists warned that it still poses a major threat because of the huge amount of moisture contained in its rain bands.

Chinese authorities said ‘abnormally heavy rainfall’ could hit Zhejiang and Fujian provinces on Sunday. More than 1.7 million people have been evacuated from Zhejiang province alone, while thousands more have been moved from neighboring provinces.

Schools, workplaces and outdoor activities have been suspended in Zhejiang. Nearly 400 flights and dozens of train services have been canceled.

Several hundred thousand residents have been evacuated from Wenzhou, a city of nearly 10 million people that lies close to the storm’s path. In addition, authorities have ordered the evacuation of 100,000 people in Beijing to reduce risks.

In Taiwan, dozens of flights have been canceled and educational activities suspended in several areas amid fears of heavy rainfall. Authorities warned that the storm could bring up to one meter of rain there.

Meanwhile, many parts of southern China are still recovering from the damage caused by Typhoon Mezak. The storm, which struck earlier this week, killed at least 39 people and caused extensive agricultural losses.

Source: BBC (Adapted)