Nearly, five people were killed in a landslide in the Philippines, while hundreds of residents were evacuated in Taiwan as Typhoon Bavi, the biggest typhoon in decades approached the region.
Typhoon Bavi is expected to impact Taiwan’s north and east regions, as well as Japan's remote southwestern islands, on Friday and Saturday before making landfall in China, which has already been hit by deadly storms this week.
A landslide triggered by heavy rain killed five people and left six others missing on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, police said.
Authorities have urged locals to stock up on essential supplies and move to safer locations ahead of the storm.
“We’ve stocked up on some instant noodles and bread and stuff like that. Once the wind and rain really start picking up, we’ll have to close the shop,” said one of the locals as he was purchasing groceries from the local shop.
Days after making landfall on Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a super typhoon, Bavi was downgraded to a typhoon as it moved across the Pacific Ocean.
Bavi’s maximum sustained wind speeds were 162 kilometres (100 miles) per hour, with gusts of around 198 kilometres per hour, on Friday – slower than on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said.
“The greatest impact is expected in Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung and Yilan, while the heaviest rainfall is forecast for mountainous areas in central and northern Taiwan.”
Bavi’s strong-wind radius of 380 kilometres (240 miles) will make it the largest typhoon to hit Taiwan in more than 30 years. The administration has closed schools, higher educational institutions, government offices and other establishments on Friday in the wake of the incoming typhoon.
Besides, hundreds of domestic and international flights were also cancelled by authorities as part of precautionary measures.
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