Tokyo: Typhoon Bawhi slammed into Japan's southern Sakishima Islands, bringing heavy rain and strong winds today as it moves towards Taiwan, prompting authorities to issue warnings about the risk of flooding and landslides. On Ishigaki Island, part of Okinawa Prefecture, only a few cars were seen traveling amidst the storm. Furthermore, ships in the port continued to navigate the strong currents caused by this large and violent storm, which had maximum sustained winds near its center of 144 kilometers per hour, while officials issued warnings of gusts reaching as high as 198 kilometers per hour.
According to Thai News Agency, the weather also affected flights and ferry services across Ishigaki Island, a popular tourist destination, suspending services for the entire day on Saturday. Airlines canceled 345 flights, and more than 24,000 households in Okinawa Prefecture experienced power outages.
In neighboring Taiwan, the government evacuated more than 14,000 people, mostly those living in mountainous areas, as the island declared a lockdown in preparation for the approaching Typhoon Bawhi to the north. Although the typhoon is weakening and will not make a direct landfall in Taiwan, the government is still taking precautionary measures to prevent loss of life, following forecasts that rainfall could reach nearly 1,000 millimeters in some areas.
Most of the evacuated people are in the northern and eastern regions. In addition, 920 international flights and 280 domestic flights were cancelled. Meanwhile, Taiwan declared Saturday a public holiday due to the typhoon, ordering the closure of all offices and educational institutions that might be open on the weekend. The main high-speed rail line connecting the north and south remained open but with reduced train frequencies. In central Taipei, strong winds and rain prevailed, with some people still able to commute. However, in the Beitou district of Taipei, situated at the foot of the mountains surrounding the city, gusts of wind reaching approximately 100 kilometers per hour caused trees to fall and river levels to rise rapidly.
Furthermore, Typhoon Bawhi is predicted to make landfall in Wenzhou, eastern China, a city with a population of approximately 10 million, early Sunday morning. In Wenzhou, some residents were seen traveling through the continuous rain to their homes to prepare for the approaching typhoon, but were not overly concerned, confident in the government's preparedness measures.