China evacuates 2.4 million people as Typhoon Bavi makes landfall

Chinese authorities have evacuated up to 2.4 million people as Typhoon Bavi struck the eastern city of Taizhou overnight on July 12, according to the South China Morning Post.

Around midnight, heavy rainfall hit the city of Wenzhou, while wind gusts near the center of the storm reached between 108 and 117 km/h. Torrential rain was reported across several parts of southern and eastern China.

Although the typhoon has weakened and is moving northward, meteorologists are forecasting additional rainfall throughout Sunday, July 12. The severe weather has already led to the cancellation of more than 2,800 flights across the country.

In Shanghai, the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport airports were preparing to cancel more than 650 flights, accounting for roughly 30% of their scheduled operations.

Meanwhile, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport canceled 296 flights on July 12, although authorities expect flight operations to gradually resume later in the day.

By Jeyhun Aghazada