Full Breakdown
Typhoon Bavi’s Double Landfall Triggers Massive Evacuations and Flood Threats in Eastern China
7/13/2026, 11:25:40 AM
Core Event
On the night of July 11 2026, Typhoon Bavi made its first landfall at 11:20 p.m. local time (15:20 GMT) in Yuhuan, Zhejiang Province, with maximum sustained winds of 144 km/h (89 mph). Less than an hour later it struck Yueqing, a district of Wenzhou, before moving northwestward inland. By early Sunday the storm had weakened to a severe tropical storm, with wind speeds around 62 mph, but retained a France-sized rain-bearing circulation.
Background & Context
Bavi arrived after a week of extreme weather that saw Typhoon Maysak hit southern China (July 3) and deadly landslides in the Philippines (17 deaths). Earlier in the week the system battered Japan’s Sakishima islands, knocked out power for 24,000 households, and brushed northern Taiwan, prompting evacuations of 10,000 people there. These preceding events set a high alert level for China’s eastern coast.
Data & Statistics
- Evacuations: Reported figures range from 1.7 million to 2.68 million people relocated in Zhejiang alone; 180,000 in Fujian; ? 100,000 in Beijing; 34,000 in Shanghai.
- Transport disruption: 1,200 – 2,800 flights cancelled across Hangzhou, Shanghai, and other hubs; major train stations in Hangzhou suspended services; ? 1,600 train trips cancelled in Shanghai.
- Rainfall: 300 mm (12 in) recorded in parts of Zhejiang; 435 mm in Yueqing within 24 hours (local record); 363 mm in Tangshan, Hebei.
- Damage: 1,300 trees toppled in Yueqing (? 700 uprooted); 6,000 yuan (? $885) damage reported by a parcel-shop owner in Yuhuan.
- Funding: 40 million yuan allocated for Zhejiang/Fujian relief; 100 million yuan each for Zhejiang and Guangxi for post-storm recovery.
Why It Matters
The storm struck the densely populated Zhejiang economic hub (? 10 million residents) and threatened key agricultural areas in Fujian and Anhui. Disrupted transport jeopardized supply chains across the Yangtze Delta, while prolonged heavy rain raised flash-flood and landslide risks far inland, including in Hebei, Liaoning and Beijing. The event underscores the vulnerability of China’s coastal megacities to climate-amplified tropical cyclones.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Zhejiang government declared a Level I emergency response and issued an orange typhoon alert, later upgrading flood alerts to yellow and red.
- State broadcaster CCTV reported the “proactive, all-out mobilisation, which is sparing no effort or cost, is undertaken entirely to guard against the (worst-case) scenario.”
- The National Meteorological Center warned that “landfall does not mean the threat has passed,” forecasting continued torrential rain across 10 provincial-level regions.
- Central authorities allocated 40 million yuan in disaster relief and later an additional 100 million yuan for infrastructure restoration.
On-the-Ground Reports
Yueqing resident Li Liangxing described the assault: “The winds were very strong. We could hear roof tiles and tree branches falling.” In the fishing town of Kanmen, 72-year-old Lin Yongjin said, “After it came ashore, there was nothing we could do. Rainwater poured into the house. We spent the whole night dealing with it and didn’t get to sleep until after 5 a.m.” Wenzhou shopper Huang Xinghuan expressed cautious optimism: “I’m a little worried, but I think it’ll be OK. We’ve been through typhoons before. We’ll get through it.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Evacuation totals differ: 1.7 million (state media), 2.2 million (Reuters tally), 2.68 million (later Xinhua update).
- Casualty data for China remain absent; no deaths reported despite extensive damage.
- Rainfall measurements vary between sources (300 mm vs 435 mm in Yueqing).
- Flight cancellation counts range from 1,200 to 2,800 scheduled services.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The winds were very strong,” — Li Liangxing, Resident, Yueqing
- “We could hear roof tiles and tree branches falling.” — Li Liangxing, Resident, Yueqing
- “After it came ashore, there was nothing we could do. Rainwater poured into the house. We spent the whole night dealing with it and didn't get to sleep until after 5 a.m.,” — Lin Yongjin, Parcel-shop owner, Yuhuan
- “I'm a little worried, but I think it'll be OK.” — Huang Xinghuan, Resident, Wenzhou
- “The proactive, all-out mobilisation, which is sparing no effort or cost, is undertaken entirely to guard against the (worst-case) scenario,” — Wenzhou government statement
What’s Next
Meteorological agencies project that Bavi’s residual circulation will deliver heavy to torrential rain across eastern, northern and northeastern provinces through Tuesday, with flash-flood alerts remaining in effect for Hebei, Anhui and Jiangsu. The storm is expected to move northeast into the Yellow Sea, where it may transition into an extratropical cyclone. Continued monitoring and emergency-relief deployments are planned across the affected regions.
