Typhoon Bavi shuts Taiwan as 14,000 evacuate and more than 1,190 flights are cancelled

Taiwan evacuated more than 14,000 people and cancelled virtually all scheduled passenger flights on July 11, 2026, as Typhoon Bavi passed close to the island with strong winds and potentially extreme rainfall.

Most evacuations were concentrated in mountainous communities across northern and eastern Taiwan, where authorities were preparing for rainfall totals approaching one metre in the most exposed locations. Although the centre of Typhoon Bavi was not expected to cross Taiwan, the storm’s wide circulation created serious risks of flash flooding, landslides, damaged roads and isolated settlements.

Air travel was severely disrupted, with 917 international flights cancelled alongside all 274 domestic flights. Almost every city and county declared a typhoon holiday, while offices and schools that would normally operate on Saturday were closed. Taiwan’s main north to south high-speed railway continued operating, but services were reduced.

Typhoon Bavi was gradually weakening as it moved past Taiwan, but the storm remained a regional threat. After crossing near Japan’s Sakishima Islands and passing northeast of Taiwan, the system was forecast to approach Wenzhou in China’s Zhejiang province early on July 12.

Why did Taiwan evacuate more than 14,000 people if Typhoon Bavi will not make landfall?

Taiwan’s evacuation campaign reflects the difference between the location of a typhoon’s centre and the wider area exposed to its wind and rain. Typhoon Bavi’s centre was expected to remain offshore, but its broad circulation extended far enough to bring sustained rainfall, powerful gusts and rough seas across much of the island.

Rainfall was the principal concern. Forecasts indicated that some locations could receive close to one metre of rain, an amount capable of overwhelming drainage systems, destabilising slopes and cutting access to remote communities. Taiwan’s steep terrain means heavy rain can move rapidly from mountain catchments into rivers, roads and low-lying settlements.

Authorities therefore concentrated evacuations in northern and eastern mountainous areas rather than waiting for visible flooding or landslides. Moving residents before road conditions deteriorate reduces the risk that emergency teams will later need to conduct rescues during the storm’s most dangerous period.

President Lai Ching-te said the typhoon had weakened but retained an unusually large storm radius. The government’s response was built around the possibility that intense rainfall could affect many areas simultaneously, even without a direct strike by the storm’s eye.

Nearly 29,000 military personnel had earlier been placed on standby to support evacuations, emergency relief and infrastructure recovery. Local governments also prepared shelters, distributed sandbags and restricted access to vulnerable coastal and mountainous locations.

The scale of the evacuation increased sharply as the storm approached. More than 2,000 residents had initially been moved from high-risk areas, but that total rose beyond 14,000 as updated rainfall projections and local risk assessments prompted wider precautionary action.

How severely have flight cancellations and typhoon holidays disrupted Taiwan on July 11?

The cancellation of 917 international flights and all 274 domestic services effectively closed much of Taiwan’s passenger aviation network. The disruption affected travellers within Taiwan as well as regional routes linking Taipei with Japan, Hong Kong, mainland China and other Asian destinations.

Airlines generally avoid operating during typhoon conditions because strong crosswinds, heavy rain, turbulence and rapidly changing visibility can affect take-offs and landings. Ground operations can also become unsafe when airport ramps are exposed to high winds, flying debris and intense rainfall.

The aviation shutdown was broader than a limited series of precautionary cancellations. With every domestic flight cancelled, travellers were unable to use air services to reach Taiwan’s outlying islands or move between major population centres. International passengers faced rebooking delays that could continue after the weather improved because aircraft and flight crews would need to be repositioned.

Almost all Taiwanese cities and counties declared a typhoon holiday. The measure closed public institutions and most workplaces that would ordinarily operate on Saturday, while encouraging residents to remain indoors and reducing unnecessary travel during the period of greatest risk.

The main high-speed railway remained open on a reduced timetable, preserving a limited transport connection between northern and southern Taiwan. Reduced service, however, meant lower passenger capacity and longer waiting periods for people whose flights or other journeys had been cancelled.

Road transport faced a different set of risks. Mountain roads can be blocked by fallen trees, mud, rocks or damaged bridges, while coastal roads may be affected by waves and accumulated water. These risks help explain why evacuations were carried out before the heaviest rainfall arrived.

Why are Taiwan’s mountainous northern and eastern regions highly exposed to Bavi’s rainfall?

Taiwan’s topography creates a significant rainfall hazard whenever moisture-laden winds encounter its central mountain range. Air is forced upward by the terrain, cools and releases large quantities of rain, sometimes concentrating precipitation over relatively small areas.

The northern and eastern sides of Taiwan were especially exposed because of Typhoon Bavi’s position and circulation. Mountainous communities in these areas can experience much heavier rainfall than nearby urban centres, even when the typhoon itself remains offshore.

Landslide and debris-flow risks increase when heavy rain saturates soil on steep slopes. Roads can become impassable with little warning, while damaged power or communications infrastructure can isolate villages after the storm has moved away.

Typhoon response decisions therefore cannot be based solely on conditions in Taipei or other major cities. Residents in the capital experienced wind and rain, but conditions appeared less severe than those anticipated in exposed coastal and mountain districts.

The contrast can create a misleading impression that the danger has passed. A weakening storm may still deliver its heaviest rainfall after its strongest winds have declined, particularly when broad rain bands continue moving across mountainous terrain.

Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration maintained typhoon warnings as the storm passed nearby. The continuing alerts reflected the persistence of wind, rainfall and maritime hazards rather than an expectation that the typhoon’s centre would cross the island.

How did Typhoon Bavi disrupt Japan’s Sakishima Islands before reaching Taiwan?

Before approaching Taiwan, Typhoon Bavi passed close to the Sakishima Islands, a remote island chain administered as part of Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture. Authorities warned residents about violent winds, flooding, landslides, high waves and dangerous coastal conditions.

Maximum sustained winds around the storm had reached approximately 162 kilometres per hour during its approach. Residents on Ishigaki secured windows, protected shops and stocked up on food and essential supplies as transport links were suspended.

Japan Airlines cancelled more than 100 flights for July 10 and July 11, affecting nearly 20,000 passengers. All Nippon Airways cancelled more than 160 flights through July 12, disrupting travel for approximately another 20,000 people.

Nearly 900 buildings in Okinawa Prefecture had lost electricity during the storm’s approach. Ferry services were suspended, beaches and coastal parks were closed, and tourists on smaller islands faced extended stays because departures were no longer operating.

The Sakishima Islands sit between Taiwan and the main islands of Japan, making them particularly exposed to storms travelling through the western Pacific. Their geographic isolation also means cancelled flights and ferries can quickly interrupt access to food supplies, medical services and mainland transport connections.

The disruption in Japan illustrates the regional scale of Typhoon Bavi. The same system affected aviation, shipping and emergency planning across several jurisdictions before its projected arrival on China’s coast.

Why does Typhoon Bavi’s projected path toward Wenzhou create wider risks for China?

Typhoon Bavi was forecast to approach the eastern Chinese city of Wenzhou late on July 11 or early on July 12. Wenzhou, located in Zhejiang province, has a population of around 10 million and is an important commercial, industrial and coastal centre.

Fishing vessels returned to port, structures were secured and residents prepared for strong wind, heavy rainfall and coastal flooding. Authorities across Zhejiang and neighbouring Fujian province also suspended ferry services and moved residents from vulnerable locations.

The risk extended far beyond the expected landfall zone. Moisture associated with Typhoon Bavi was feeding heavy rainfall into northern Chinese regions, prompting authorities to close parks, restrict access to outdoor sites and lower water levels in reservoirs.

Beijing, Hebei, Shaanxi, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia were among the areas placed on alert for rainfall or flooding. Close to 100,000 people had reportedly been evacuated in Beijing by July 10 as authorities prepared for the possibility of intense rain.

Water releases from Beijing’s Miyun Reservoir were increased to create additional flood-control capacity. The step showed how a typhoon approaching China’s eastern coastline could influence water-management decisions hundreds of kilometres from its projected landfall.

The storm also arrived while parts of China were still dealing with earlier flooding and severe weather. Saturated ground and elevated river levels can increase vulnerability because additional rainfall has less capacity to drain or be absorbed.

What could Typhoon Bavi mean for Taiwan’s technology sector and regional supply chains?

Taiwan is a central node in the global semiconductor and electronics supply chain, which means major transport or infrastructure disruption can attract international business attention even when factories are not directly damaged.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company delayed the scheduled publication of its June sales figures from July 10 to July 13 because of the typhoon-related shutdown. The delay was administrative rather than evidence of production damage, but it demonstrated how extreme weather can alter corporate reporting and market schedules.

Financial markets were also closed as part of Taiwan’s precautionary measures. The closure reduced immediate market activity while authorities focused on public safety, transportation and infrastructure protection.

Semiconductor facilities are designed with extensive emergency systems, including backup electricity, water management and storm-response procedures. The most immediate supply-chain risk from a typhoon can therefore come from transport interruption, employee access, power instability or delayed shipments rather than direct damage to fabrication equipment.

Taiwan’s airports handle high-value electronic components and business travel linked to the technology sector. The cancellation of more than 1,190 domestic and international flights may create short-term scheduling and logistics complications, particularly if normal operations resume gradually.

Ports and coastal shipping also face restrictions during severe weather. Delays involving raw materials, equipment or finished products can spread through regional supply chains when companies operate with tight delivery schedules.

The wider economic effect will depend on the duration of the shutdown and whether flooding, landslides or power failures cause lasting infrastructure damage. A rapid return to normal transport would limit the consequences, while prolonged disruption could generate a larger backlog across aviation, shipping and industrial logistics.

What should authorities and residents watch as Typhoon Bavi moves away from Taiwan?

The first indicator will be actual rainfall compared with forecasts. If the heaviest bands remain offshore or move quickly, the risk of major flooding may decline. If rain repeatedly falls over the same mountain catchments, landslide and river risks could continue even after winds weaken.

Authorities will also monitor roads, bridges, electricity networks and telecommunications in evacuated regions. Residents may not be permitted to return immediately if slopes remain unstable or access routes require inspection.

The restoration of flights will be another important measure of recovery. Airlines must assess airport conditions, reposition aircraft and accommodate passengers whose journeys were cancelled, which means disruption can continue after weather warnings are lifted.

Attention will then shift toward China as Typhoon Bavi approaches Zhejiang and Fujian. The storm’s intensity at landfall, its forward speed and its interaction with existing weather systems will determine whether the most serious effects remain coastal or extend farther inland.

For Taiwan, the key issue is not whether the storm officially makes landfall. The central test is whether precautionary evacuations, transport closures and emergency deployments prevent deaths while allowing critical infrastructure to return to service quickly.

What are the key takeaways from Typhoon Bavi’s impact on Taiwan, Japan and China?

• Taiwan evacuated more than 14,000 people on July 11, 2026, mainly from mountainous areas in the north and east where forecasts indicated that rainfall could approach one metre and trigger landslides or flooding.
• The storm did not need to make landfall on Taiwan to cause widespread disruption because Typhoon Bavi’s large circulation brought heavy rain, strong winds and dangerous coastal conditions far from its offshore centre.
• Taiwan cancelled 917 international flights and all 274 domestic flights, while almost every city and county declared a typhoon holiday and the main north to south high-speed railway operated on a reduced schedule.
• Japan’s Sakishima Islands faced violent winds, power outages and suspended transport, with Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways cancelling hundreds of flights affecting approximately 40,000 passengers across the storm period.
• Typhoon Bavi was forecast to approach Wenzhou in China’s Zhejiang province early on July 12, prompting fishing vessels to return, ferry services to stop and vulnerable residents to be moved.
• Moisture connected to Typhoon Bavi also increased rainfall risks across northern China, where authorities closed public spaces, adjusted reservoir levels and reportedly evacuated close to 100,000 people in Beijing.
• Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company postponed the release of its June sales data, showing how typhoon shutdowns can affect corporate schedules and technology-sector logistics even without confirmed damage to manufacturing facilities.