Zhejiang issues Level I alert as Typhoon Bavi nears landfall

The projected landfall area of Typhoon Bavi has been revised, with the storm now expected to make landfall between Cangnan county in Wenzhou and Sanmen county in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, around midnight on Saturday, according to the latest forecast released by provincial authorities.

Earlier forecasts had predicted the typhoon would come ashore in the coastal area between Taizhou, Zhejiang, and the county-level city of Fuding in Fujian province in the early hours of Sunday, China Central Television reported.

As of 9 am Saturday, Bavi, the ninth typhoon of the year, was located about 489 kilometers off the coast of Wenzhou. It was moving northwest at 30 to 35 kilometers per hour and is expected to continue in that direction after landfall, before gradually turning north.

The typhoon is forecast to bring severe gales, torrential rain, high waves and storm surges to Zhejiang from Saturday through Sunday.

In response, Zhejiang's provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters upgraded its emergency response to Level I, the highest in China's four-tier emergency response system, on Saturday. Authorities urged local governments to closely monitor the storm's path and fully implement disaster prevention measures, including suspending outdoor events, work, classes, business operations and transportation, and closing roads where necessary.

As of 8 am Saturday, red alerts for mountain torrents had been issued in 33 counties and county-level cities across Zhejiang.

Wenzhou has also strengthened its emergency preparedness by stockpiling more than 600 inflatable rescue boats, over 12,000 satellite phones, pumps and generators, and more than 150,000 pieces of emergency equipment, including life jackets, helmets, ropes and rain gear.