China evacuates more than 600,000 as Typhoon Bavi nears landfall
China has evacuated more than 600,000 people from its eastern coast ahead of Typhoon Bavi , which is forecast to make landfall near Wenzhou, in Zhejiang province, in the early hours of Sunday. More than 500,000 people were moved in Zhejiang and roughly 100,000 in neighbouring Fujian, and the national weather agency issued an orange alert, its second-highest level. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled, rail services cut, and schools and ferries suspended.
The storm has weakened since July 7 but still carries heavy rain bands, and the main hazard is flooding rather than wind. Before reaching China it swept the wider region: at least 17 people were killed in landslides in the Philippines, dozens were injured in Taiwan, and more than 200 flights were grounded in Japan.