Taiwan Grinds to a Halt as Typhoon Bavi Sweeps Past, More Than 14,000 Evacuated

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A Nationwide Shutdown

Taiwan came to a near-standstill on Saturday as Typhoon Bavi approached from the Pacific. Authorities evacuated more than 14,000 people, most of them from mountainous areas in the north and east of the island, according to the Central Emergency Operations Center (CEOC).

Nearly every city and county declared a "typhoon holiday," shutting offices and schools that would otherwise have been open on the weekend. Only Taitung County and the outlying islands of Kinmen were exempt from the closures.

Air travel bore the brunt of the disruption. All 274 domestic flights were grounded, along with 917 international connections. Taiwan's high-speed rail line running the length of the island stayed open but operated a reduced schedule.

Weakening, but Still Dangerous

Bavi has been gradually losing strength as it tracks toward East Asia, and forecasters do not expect it to make direct landfall on Taiwan. Even so, the storm's unusually wide wind field means its effects are being felt across a large part of the island.

The Central Weather Administration warned that mountainous regions north of Taipei could see close to one metre (3.3 feet) of rainfall, raising the risk of flooding and landslides. Waves of up to 8.6 metres were recorded in waters off the island's southeast, and gusts exceeding 118 kilometres per hour were forecast for Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan and Yilan.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te urged residents in high-risk areas to stay alert, noting on social media that although the storm had weakened to a moderate typhoon, its broad wind field could still bring damaging winds and heavy rain.

In the capital, daily life carried on despite blustery conditions. "It's ok, it's not that serious," Taipei resident Yeh Mao-hsiung, 68, said while out walking his dog. "It's just a little bit more wind."

Government on High Alert

Behind the calm streets, Taiwan's government mounted one of its larger disaster-response mobilisations in recent years. Premier Cho Jung-tai said more than 6,600 disaster response personnel, nearly 4,500 rescue vehicles, over 1,250 boats and 24 helicopters had been placed on standby nationwide. The military separately put close to 29,000 troops on alert for possible relief operations.

Officials paid particular attention to two barrier lakes in the mountainous eastern county of Hualien, where downstream communities faced overflow risks. Several minor storm-related injuries were reported nationwide, including a scooter accident in Kaohsiung and a person hurt by a collapsing awning in Hualien; all were treated and released.

Taiwan's disaster-preparedness system — built up over decades of typhoon exposure — is often cited as a model in the region, reflecting the kind of transparent, accountable governance that stands in visible contrast to Beijing's more opaque disaster reporting on the mainland.

Bavi's Wider Path of Destruction

Bavi has already left a serious toll elsewhere in the region before reaching Taiwan. Earlier this month it struck Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a super typhoon, causing what officials described as catastrophic damage on Rota, with the U.S. National Weather Service warning residents that venturing outside could be fatal.

In the Philippines, rain and landslides linked to the storm — compounded by ground already weakened by a recent earthquake — killed at least 17 people and left others missing. Mainland China, meanwhile, was already reeling from a separate bout of extreme weather this week, with storms and tornadoes leaving dozens dead and rivers overflowing even before Bavi's arrival.

What Comes Next

After passing northeast of Taiwan and brushing Japan's Sakishima Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Bavi is forecast to make landfall near the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou, home to roughly 10 million people, early Sunday. Authorities along China's eastern seaboard have been recalling fishing vessels, evacuating offshore workers and reinforcing coastal infrastructure ahead of the storm's arrival.

For Taiwan, the immediate danger is expected to ease as Bavi moves away from the island over the weekend, though authorities cautioned that rain and swells could persist into Sunday in exposed coastal areas.

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Sources

1. Hong Kong Free Press (AFP): https://hongkongfp.com/2026/07/10/hundreds-evacuate-in-taiwan-ahead-of-biggest-typhoon-in-decades/
2. Focus Taiwan (CNA): https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202607100012
3. Taipei Times: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2026/07/11/2003860564
4. Taipei Times: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2026/07/09/2003860486
5. Wikipedia, "Typhoon Bavi (2026)": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Bavi_(2026)

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