Typhoon Bavi Lashes Japan's Southern Islands

Taiwan Evacuates Thousands

Report By Y-Trendz

Ishigaki, Japan/Taipei, July 11, 2026: Typhoon Bavi pounded Japan's southern Sakishima island chain with heavy rain and violent winds on Saturday as it churned toward Taiwan, prompting authorities in

both territories to issue warnings over flooding and landslides. The storm, described as one of the largest to threaten the region in more than three decades, has already forced mass evacuations, widespread flight cancellations and significant disruption across the western Pacific.

Japan's Southern Islands Battered

On Ishigaki, part of Okinawa Prefecture and a popular tourist destination, streets emptied out as debris flew through the air and only a handful of vehicles braved the gale-force winds and driving rain. Boats moored at a local harbour rocked violently in the storm surge as Bavi's outer bands swept through. The typhoon carried maximum sustained winds of around 144 kph (90 mph) near its centre, with authorities warning of gusts reaching as high as 198 kph.

Flights and ferry services across Ishigaki were suspended for the entirety of Saturday, with airlines cancelling 345 flights in the region and leaving thousands of travellers stranded or rerouted. More than 24,000 households across Okinawa lost power as the storm's outer bands moved through. As of Saturday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency placed the storm roughly 90 kilometres from Okinawa's Miyako Island, tracking in a north-northwest direction as it continued toward Taiwan.

Taiwan Shuts Down, Evacuates Over 14,000

In Taiwan, the government evacuated more than 14,000 people, primarily from mountainous areas in the north and east, as the island effectively shut down for the day. Officials in Hualien county, on Taiwan's east coast, paid particular attention to two barrier dams being closely monitored for the risk of overflow. While Bavi is not expected to make direct landfall on Taiwan, forecasters warned that some areas could see nearly a metre (about 3.3 feet) of rainfall, and the government said it was taking every precaution to prevent loss of life.

The disruption to travel was substantial: 917 international flights and all 274 scheduled domestic flights were cancelled. Nearly every city and county across Taiwan declared a typhoon holiday for Saturday, shutting offices and schools that might otherwise have been open over the weekend. The island's main north-south high-speed rail line remained operational but with reduced service. In downtown Taipei, blustery wind and rain persisted through the day, though some residents remained undeterred. One 68-year-old Taipei resident, out for his usual morning walk with his dog, described the conditions as not especially serious, saying it was just somewhat windier than usual.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te had urged residents in areas likely to be hardest hit to stay on high alert in the lead-up to the storm, noting that even though Bavi had weakened slightly to a moderate typhoon, its unusually wide wind field could still bring damaging winds and heavy rain across large parts of the island. More than 28,000 troops, along with heavy machinery, equipment and vehicles, were placed on standby ahead of the storm to support emergency response efforts. With a strong-wind radius spanning some 380 kilometres, Bavi is being described as the largest typhoon to strike Taiwan in more than 30 years.

A Deadly Path Across the Pacific

Bavi's journey across the Pacific has already proven deadly. Before reaching Taiwan and Japan, the storm triggered landslides in the southern Philippines that killed at least 15 people, with six others reported missing on the island of Mindanao. Bavi had earlier struck Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a super typhoon before gradually weakening as it moved across open water.

Next Stop: Eastern China

Having swept past Taiwan to the northeast after crossing Japan's Sakishima Islands, Bavi is forecast to make landfall in the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou, home to roughly 10 million people, early Sunday. The storm's approach comes as parts of southern and central China are already reeling from a separate bout of extreme weather this week, which has left at least 39 people dead, caused dozens of rivers to overflow, and triggered the collapse of at least one reservoir dam. Residents in Wenzhou were seen making last-minute preparations on Saturday, including securing loose items and checking in on elderly family members, as the city braces for the storm's arrival.

Authorities across the region are continuing to monitor Bavi's track closely, with further updates expected as the storm makes its way toward the Chinese mainland.