Lead

Typhoon Bavi slammed into eastern China over the weekend, forcing the evacuation of millions of people and disrupting transport networks across the region. The storm made landfall in Zhejiang province late Saturday before weakening to a severe tropical storm, bringing heavy rain and violent winds to coastal areas.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting on the storm's impact varies slightly across outlets. Al Jazeera described Bavi as "roughly the size of France" and reported that nearly two million people were evacuated. France 24, citing official figures, noted that around 1.72 million people had been evacuated as of Saturday morning. The South China Morning Post, however, gave a higher figure, saying more than 2.4 million people were evacuated from the storm's path.

The storm's landfall location also differs slightly in the reports. Al Jazeera said Bavi first reached Yuhuan in Zhejiang just before midnight, followed by a second landfall in Yueqing. France 24 reported landfall in Zhejiang at around 11:20 pm, while the South China Morning Post said the first landfall was in Taizhou at 11:12 pm, followed by a second in Wenzhou.

Key Claims

  • Typhoon Bavi, which is roughly the size of France, made landfall in eastern China on Saturday night, according to multiple reports.
  • Nearly two million people were evacuated in the storm's path, as reported by Al Jazeera and France 24. The South China Morning Post cites a higher figure of over 2.4 million.
  • In Yueqing, more than 1,300 trees were felled, half of them torn out from the root, as reported by Al Jazeera, citing state broadcaster CCTV. Floodwaters rose to about half the height of a car tyre.
  • Emergency teams used chainsaws and excavators to clear waterlogged streets littered with fallen trees, according to Al Jazeera.
  • China's eastern transport network was heavily affected. Al Jazeera reported 327 flight cancellations at Hangzhou's Xiaoshan International Airport and 684 flights and more than 1,600 trains cancelled in Shanghai. The South China Morning Post reported over 650 flight cancellations at Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao airports and 296 at Hangzhou Xiaoshan.
  • France 24 reported that the death toll from landslides and other incidents triggered by heavy rains in the Philippines reached 18.
  • The storm was downgraded to a severe tropical storm by Sunday morning, according to France 24.