China, Taiwan and Japan brace for powerful Typhoon

Rescue teams in China continued searching through debris on Thursday after the devastating impact of Typhoon Maysak, which claimed at least

Rescue teams in China continued searching through debris on Thursday after the devastating impact of Typhoon Maysak, which claimed at least 39 lives and caused widespread destruction across several regions. As recovery efforts remain underway, authorities in China, Taiwan and Japan are now preparing for another dangerous storm, Typhoon Bavi, which is expected to bring destructive winds, torrential rainfall and severe flooding in the coming days.

Typhoon Bavi has been strengthening over the Pacific Ocean and is currently moving southeast of Taiwan with sustained winds approaching 200 kilometres per hour. Weather experts have warned that although the storm may lose some strength before making landfall, it is still expected to remain a highly dangerous weather system capable of causing significant damage across eastern China from Friday through Monday.

Taiwanese authorities have issued widespread alerts as the island prepares for what could become its strongest typhoon since Typhoon Kong-rey struck in 2014, leaving three people dead. Forecasts indicate that the mountainous regions north of Taipei could receive as much as one metre of rainfall, increasing the risk of flash floods and landslides. To strengthen emergency preparedness, around 29,000 military personnel have been deployed to strategic locations across the island to support rescue operations and disaster response if conditions worsen.

The latest storm comes as East Asia continues to experience increasingly severe weather events. Scientists say rising global temperatures linked to climate change are contributing to stronger and more frequent tropical cyclones. The expected return of the El Niño climate pattern is also raising concerns, as warmer ocean temperatures provide additional energy that can intensify storms and increase rainfall.

Earlier this year, the United Nations’ weather agency urged governments and humanitarian organisations to strengthen disaster preparedness in anticipation of extreme weather linked to El Niño. The organisation warned that countries should prepare for prolonged heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall and more destructive storms in vulnerable regions.

Meteorologists continue to monitor Typhoon Bavi closely. An AccuWeather expert noted that while some weakening of the storm is expected on Thursday, it will remain a dangerous system capable of producing damaging winds, heavy rain and coastal flooding as it moves toward eastern China.

China’s national meteorological agency has also advised residents to remain on high alert, particularly on Friday and Saturday, when the risks of flooding, landslides and storm surges are expected to increase. Authorities are urging people living in vulnerable coastal and mountainous areas to follow evacuation orders if necessary.

The destruction left behind by Typhoon Maysak has highlighted the dangers posed by consecutive storms. The system reportedly triggered multiple tornadoes on islands and caused extensive flooding in China’s central Hubei province. State media footage showed residents escaping flooded apartment buildings through upper-floor windows while emergency responders used boats and drones to deliver food, water and medical supplies to isolated communities cut off by rising floodwaters.

Xiangbo Feng, a tropical cyclone researcher at Imperial College London, said Typhoon Bavi had spent an extended period gathering energy over unusually warm Pacific waters.

“We should pay close attention to Bavi because it has continued intensifying over the Pacific, absorbing heat from the ocean and accumulating large amounts of moisture,” Feng said. He warned that if the storm reaches populated coastal regions at full strength, the resulting destruction could be catastrophic.

The approaching typhoon has also disrupted regional air travel. Japan Airlines announced the cancellation of 48 domestic flights and two international services scheduled for Friday. Meanwhile, All Nippon Airways confirmed it would suspend 34 flights serving Okinawa’s Ishigaki and Miyako airports, affecting approximately 1,800 passengers. A further 33 domestic flights are expected to be cancelled on Saturday, disrupting travel plans for nearly 5,900 additional passengers as authorities prioritise public safety ahead of the storm.