Japan on alert as Typhoon Bavi nears islands, disrupts flights
Typhoon Bavi is closing on Japan's remote Sakishima Islands with sustained winds near 162 kph (100 mph), putting the southwestern chain on high alert for violent winds, flooding, and landslides—and sending travelers scrambling to check flight status as airlines cancel routes through the weekend. Early Friday, residents on islands such as Ishigaki were boarding windows and clearing supermarket shelves while beaches, coastal parks, and ferry terminals shut down ahead of what authorities warn could be among the region's most destructive storms in years.
Key Takeaways
- Typhoon Bavi neared Japan's Sakishima Islands on Friday with maximum sustained winds of about 162 kph, Reuters reported.
- Authorities warned of violent winds, torrential rain, landslides, and flooding across the southwestern island chain.
- Flight status boards across East Asia show widespread cancellations, including many Taiwan routes to Japan and Hong Kong through Saturday, per AP.
- After brushing Japan's islands, Bavi is forecast to pass north of Taiwan and make landfall in eastern China late Saturday.
- The storm weakened from super-typhoon strength but remains large and dangerous after hammering Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands at Category 5 intensity.
Why are Japan's Sakishima Islands on high alert?
A large and powerful typhoon approached the Sakishima chain—a remote island group near Taiwan—on Friday, prompting Japanese authorities to warn of violent winds, torrential rain, landslides, and flooding. According to Reuters, Typhoon Bavi carried maximum sustained winds of 162 kph as it neared the islands.
On Ishigaki, a popular tourist destination, residents taped windows and draped windproof nets across homes and shops. Shelves at local supermarkets emptied as people stocked up on supplies. Public beaches, coastal parks, and the local ferry terminal appeared closed.
The Weather Channel noted Bavi could pass over the Sakishima Islands on Friday night before tracking northwest. Officials warned the storm may rank among the most destructive to hit the region in years, even as it slowly weakens over cooler waters.
How is Typhoon Bavi affecting flight status across the region?
Typhoon tracks across the western Pacific have rippled through airline schedules from Japan to Taiwan. Taiwan's Central News Agency told AP that many flights to Japan, Hong Kong, and other destinations were canceled through Saturday, though some services remained on the schedule.
Travelers monitoring flight status should expect ongoing disruption as Bavi's large wind field spreads heavy rain across southern Japan, Taiwan, and eastern China. Financial markets in Taiwan closed for the day Friday, with a large swath of the north and east also off work.
Real-time advisories from carriers and airport authorities remain the most reliable way to confirm departures. For broader coverage of how technology shapes disaster response and travel resilience, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders section.
Where is Typhoon Bavi headed after Japan?
Bavi is not expected to make landfall in Taiwan but will dump huge rainfall on the island, with some areas facing up to one metre (3.3 feet) starting late Friday, Reuters reported. More than 1,000 people were evacuated in Taiwan, mainly from the mountainous eastern coast, with nearly 29,000 military personnel on standby.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said the typhoon had weakened slightly and been downgraded to a moderate typhoon, but its large storm radius could still bring strong winds and heavy rain across many areas. AP reported the storm is forecast to make landfall Saturday night south of Shanghai, near the border between Fujian and Zhejiang provinces in China.
China has evacuated more than 17,000 people in Zhejiang and placed 170,000 rescue workers on standby, Xinhua said. Eastern China is already reeling from a week of deadly storms that killed 50 people elsewhere in the country.
What damage did Bavi cause before reaching Japan?
Before turning toward East Asia, Bavi struck Guam and the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands at Category 5 intensity. The Weather Channel reported the storm raked across Rota at about 9 a.m. local time Monday with peak sustained winds near 180 mph in the eyewall.
AP noted Bavi weakened from super-typhoon strength but had already brought violent winds to Saipan and other U.S. Pacific territories earlier in the week. The storm has since grown larger, meaning a more expansive stretch of Taiwan and eastern China could see tropical-storm-force gusts by Friday and Saturday.