At least 15 people have been killed in landslides in the Philippines, while thousands of residents in Taiwan were evacuated as Typhoon Bavi, one of the strongest storms in decades, moved closer to the region on Friday.
The typhoon is expected to hit northern and eastern Taiwan, along with Japan’s remote southwestern islands, on Saturday before reaching China, which has already suffered deadly storms this week.
Two landslides caused by heavy rainfall linked to Bavi killed at least 15 people and left six others missing on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.
In Taiwan’s port city of Keelung, one of the areas expected to face the worst impact, residents rushed to prepare by storing food supplies, securing windows and placing sandbags outside shops following warnings from authorities.
“They’re saying it’s going to be huge; of course that’s scary, right?” Keelung grocery store owner Chang Shih-huo, 76, said.
“We’ve stocked up on some instant noodles and bread and stuff like that. Once the wind and rain really start picking up, we’ll have to close the shop.”
Bavi, which struck Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands earlier in the week as a super typhoon, weakened to typhoon strength while moving across the Pacific Ocean.
Its maximum sustained winds dropped to 155 kilometres per hour, with gusts reaching around 190 kilometres per hour on Friday.
“From tonight through daytime tomorrow will be the period when the typhoon is closest to Taiwan and its impact will be the most significant,” forecaster Liao Chwen-huey said.
Largest typhoon threat in three decades
With a wind radius extending around 380 kilometres, Bavi is expected to become the largest typhoon to affect Taiwan in more than 30 years.
Schools and businesses were closed across northern and eastern Taiwan on Friday, while hundreds of flights were cancelled as authorities prepared for the storm.
In Keelung, residents stocked up on essential supplies at markets, street vendors secured their stalls and a local temple protected an outdoor statue ahead of the approaching typhoon.
“What you’re seeing now is the most remarkable sight we haven’t seen in 10 years,” Keelung restaurant owner Penny Pan, 48, said as her husband placed sandbags outside their restaurant.
“In the past we never used sandbags to prepare for typhoons. But this time they’re forecasting Force 10 gusts, so the captains and fishermen have all been saying we need to be better prepared,” she added.
Authorities warned that Bavi could bring nearly one metre of rainfall, increasing the risk of flooding and landslides. The strongest winds are expected on Saturday.
Residents were also advised to stay away from coastal areas as the storm generated waves reaching up to nine metres (30 feet) in height.
