At least 15 people have died in the Philippines after heavy rains triggered by Typhoon Bavi caused two landslides on the southern island of Mindanao, while six others remain missing, local authorities confirmed.
The powerful storm is now advancing towards Taiwan, prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents as officials warn it could become the largest typhoon to strike the island in more than three decades.
Forecasts indicate that Bavi will batter northern and eastern Taiwan, Japan’s remote southwestern islands, and later move into eastern China over the weekend. The storm, which previously struck Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a super typhoon, has weakened slightly but continues to pose a significant threat.
According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, the typhoon is packing sustained winds of up to 155 kilometres per hour, with gusts reaching about 190 kilometres per hour. Forecasters said the storm would have its greatest impact from Friday night through Saturday.
Authorities have suspended classes and business activities across northern and eastern Taiwan, while hundreds of domestic and international flights have been cancelled. Nearly 9,000 residents, many from the mountainous Hualien County, have been relocated to safer areas amid fears of flooding and landslides.
In Keelung, one of the cities expected to be hardest hit, residents rushed to buy food supplies, reinforced buildings with sandbags and taped windows in preparation for the storm. Coastal communities have also been warned to stay away from the shoreline, where waves as high as nine metres are expected.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant, while more than 28,000 military personnel have been placed on standby alongside emergency equipment and rescue vehicles.
The approaching storm has also disrupted activities in Japan’s Sakashima Islands, where schools and offices have closed, dozens of flights have been cancelled, and authorities have warned of strong winds, heavy rainfall and possible landslides.
After passing Taiwan, Typhoon Bavi is expected to make landfall in eastern China, where severe storms have already claimed at least 39 lives this week, causing widespread flooding, overflowing rivers and the collapse of a reservoir dam.
Climate experts say warmer ocean temperatures continue to strengthen tropical storms by increasing the amount of moisture they carry. The return of the El Niño weather pattern this year is also expected to contribute to more intense weather events across the Pacific region.