At least 15 people have been killed in the Philippines after Typhoon Bavi unleashed days of torrential rain that triggered deadly landslides, while Taiwan moved to protect residents and disrupt travel operations as the storm approached.
Authorities in Sarangani province, located on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, said a rain-soaked hillside collapsed on Friday, burying and killing 10 people. Officials said the prolonged rainfall had weakened the terrain, leading to the fatal landslide.
The latest deaths added to an earlier landslide incident on Mindanao, where at least five people were killed and several others remained missing, bringing the storm’s confirmed death toll in the country to 15.
Bavi previously crossed Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a powerful super typhoon before losing strength over the Pacific Ocean. The storm continued its westward path toward Taiwan, Japan’s southwestern islands and eastern China, where authorities prepared for possible flooding, strong winds and further landslides.
In Taiwan, more than 2,000 residents were evacuated from vulnerable areas as officials cancelled hundreds of flights and suspended normal activities in parts of the island. Schools and businesses across northern and eastern Taiwan were closed as forecasters warned of dangerous weather conditions.
The island’s weather authorities reported that Bavi was carrying sustained winds of around 155 kilometres per hour, with stronger gusts reaching nearly 190 kilometres per hour as it neared Taiwan.
Japan’s remote Sakishima Islands also took precautionary measures, including suspending classes and closing some government facilities, amid warnings of powerful waves, severe winds and potential landslides.
After moving past Taiwan and Japan, Bavi is expected to reach China’s eastern coastline, prompting transport and maritime authorities to activate emergency preparations for the storm’s arrival.
