BEIJING: China intensified emergency response and disaster relief efforts as Typhoon Bavi, one of the strongest storms this year, made landfall in eastern China’s Zhejiang Province on Saturday, bringing torrential rains and powerful winds to the densely populated coastal region.
The typhoon struck the coastal city of Yuhuan at around 11:20 p.m. local time on Saturday before making a second landfall in the city of Yueqing, shortly after midnight, according to the National Meteorological Center. By Sunday afternoon, Bavi had moved into eastern Anhui Province and was forecast to turn northeast before entering the northern Yellow Sea on Tuesday.
In response to the storm’s impact, China’s National Commission for Disaster Reduction activated a Level-IV national emergency response for disaster relief on Sunday, sending a task force to affected areas to guide local authorities in evacuating and resettling residents and ensuring basic living assistance.
The National Development and Reform Commission also allocated 100 million yuan ($14.7 million) from the central government budget to support emergency recovery efforts in Zhejiang. The funds will be used to repair damaged infrastructure, including roads and water conservancy facilities, as well as public service facilities such as schools and hospitals, helping restore normal production and daily life in affected areas.
Although Bavi weakened to a tropical storm after moving inland on Sunday morning, meteorological authorities warned that the storm system could still bring prolonged and widespread rainfall to parts of eastern and northern China in the coming days.
To prepare for potential flooding, China’s Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level-IV flood control emergency response for provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi and Shandong on Sunday morning.
The ministry urged local water authorities and river basin management agencies to strengthen monitoring, improve forecasting and early warning systems, optimize the operation of flood-control facilities, and step up inspections of reservoirs and embankments to identify and address risks at an early stage. Authorities also called for stricter management of high-risk areas and timely evacuation of residents in vulnerable locations to safeguard lives and property.
Meanwhile, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters dispatched three additional working groups to provinces of Hebei, Liaoning and Jilin to assist local authorities in flood prevention and emergency response efforts.
The Office of the National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Emergency Management, in coordination with the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, allocated 70,000 pieces of emergency relief supplies to Zhejiang, Tianjin and Anhui. The supplies, including folding beds, blankets, summer quilts and family emergency kits, will be used to support the temporary resettlement and relief of affected residents.
Nearly two million people were evacuated ahead of Bavi’s arrival, with the majority from Zhejiang, a major economic and technological hub on China’s eastern coast.
The typhoon also disrupted transportation networks. In Hangzhou, the provincial capital of Zhejiang, two major railway stations suspended services, while 327 flights were cancelled at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. In neighboring Shanghai, 1,620 train trips and 684 flights were cancelled.
Authorities are continuing to monitor Bavi’s movement and have urged local governments to remain on alert and strengthen preparedness as the storm system moves northward.
