Reuters, BEIJING
Typhoon Bavi today churned southeast of Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean, its winds easing overnight to just shy of 200kph, as authorities urged residents to stock up on supplies and brace for what could be the most powerful typhoon since 2024.Bavi is set to be the largest storm by size to hit Taiwan since 1987, Central Weather Administration forecaster Jason Chang said, adding that storms of similar size have been "fairly rare in recent years."President William Lai (賴清德) wrote on Facebook that people should prepare supplies from food to torches and shared a video teaching people how to put together an emergency grab bag that could give life support for three days.
The projected path of Typhoon Bavi is pictured as of 8am today.
Photo courtesy of the Central Weather Administration
The typhoon is forecast to skirt northern Taiwan before making landfall in China's eastern Fujian Province on Saturday night, China's National Meteorological Center said.Taiwan, China and Japan are increasingly exposed to destructive weather events that scientists link to climate change. This year is of particular concern because the expected emergence of El Nino could drive up temperatures and help fuel more frequent and intense typhoons.
