Shanghai Braces for 940,000-Sq-Km Bavi as Beijing Halts Outdoor Activities
Updated
Updated · South China Morning Post · Jul 9
Shanghai Braces for 940,000-Sq-Km Bavi as Beijing Halts Outdoor Activities
3 articles · Updated · South China Morning Post · Jul 9
Summary
Shanghai expects Typhoon Bavi’s effects from Friday, while Beijing has already suspended outdoor activities as the storm disrupts daily life across eastern China.
Satellite imagery from China’s official forecaster shows Bavi spanning nearly 940,000 square km, helping drive panic buying, flight cancellations or rescheduling, school disruption and emergency preparations.
Hangzhou residents are stockpiling instant food and bottled water and taping windows, with some fearing power or water outages if strong winds hit high-rise buildings.
The uncertainty over whether Bavi will make landfall or only brush past key cities is intensifying public anxiety as authorities and households prepare for wider fallout.
Still reeling from Typhoon Maysak, can China's emergency response handle an even stronger storm so soon?
Fueled by El Niño, is this record-breaking typhoon a terrifying preview of Asia's new normal?
Bavi devastated U.S. territories. What does its past destruction predict for China's densely populated coast?
Super Typhoon Bavi Threatens East Asia: Catastrophic Impacts, Climate Drivers, and Regional Emergency Response in 2026
Overview
Super Typhoon Bavi rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 5 storm in less than 48 hours, fueled by exceptionally warm ocean waters. After causing widespread destruction across the US Pacific Islands—especially on Rota, where winds reached 180 mph and thousands lost power—Bavi moved toward East Asia, threatening Taiwan and China with dangerous winds, heavy rain, and high waves. Regional authorities responded with emergency measures, including upgraded warnings and disaster preparations. The storm’s rapid intensification and severe impacts highlight the growing risks from climate change and the urgent need for stronger disaster resilience and community preparedness across the region.