1.7 mn evacuated as Typhoon Bavi makes landfall in China

Beijing [China] / Manila [Philippines], July 12: Typhoon Bavi has made landfall in China's eastern province of Zhejiang, with state media reporting that it is expected to gradually weaken. Bavi made landfall in China at 11.20pm on Saturday, Xinhua news agency said, citing the Zhejiang provincial meteorological observatory.
Bavi previously brought strong winds and rain to Japan's southern islands and Taiwan. It was the second typhoon in a week to impact China in just more than a week's time. The first, Maysak, made landfall in southern China last weekend.
Chinese authorities evacuated more than 1.7 million people on Saturday and issued high alerts as eastern China braced for Bavi, which had maximum sustained winds of 144kph near its centre Bavi is expected to move northwestward inland after making landfall, with its intensity gradually weakening.
Although not as strong as when it thundered through the US Pacific islands on Monday and tracked northwest, Bavi remains a significant risk due to the large volumes of moisture it carries in its rain bands.
At least 17 people were killed in the Philippines after heavy rains brought on by an enhanced southwest monsoon and worsened by Bavi's impact triggered landslides overnight on Friday. In Taiwan, where Bavi was expected to sweep past on Saturday according to the island's Central Weather Administration, at least 36 people have been injured - mainly while riding motorcycles on slippery roads in the heavy rain and winds.
Source: Qatar Tribune