Typhoon Bavi Triggers Landslides in Philippines Killing 15 as It Nears Taiwan

At least 15 people were killed and six remained missing after heavy rains from Typhoon Bavi triggered landslides in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. The powerful typhoon, considered the biggest in decades, is now nearing Taiwan and China, prompting heightened alerts. Philippine authorities confirmed that the landslides in Mindanao were a direct consequence of the typhoon's intense winds and torrential downpours. Search and rescue operations are ongoing in the affected areas. Meanwhile, Taiwan is bracing for Bavi's impact, with the storm expected to make its closest approach to the island's north and east over the weekend. Residents in the port city of Keelung were seen stocking up on food and reinforcing their properties with sandbags and tape. "They're saying it's going to be huge; of course that's scary, right?" remarked 76-year-old grocery store owner Chang Shih-huo, as he prepared his shop. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecasts Bavi's strong-wind radius to extend to 380 kilometers, making it the largest typhoon to affect Taiwan in over 30 years. Across northern and eastern Taiwan, many schools and businesses were closed on Friday, and hundreds of flights were canceled. Authorities also issued warnings for high waves along coastal areas, leading to the evacuation of approximately 9,000 people. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain on "high alert." Japan is also experiencing the typhoon's effects, with schools and offices closed in some southwestern islands and dozens of flights canceled. On Miyako Island, a hotel employee reported, "We've covered objects with nets so that they won't fly away... the storm is getting gradually stronger right now." Koki Ohama, who runs a water sports business, lamented, "We were originally fully reserved this weekend, but bookings were all cancelled, so it's painful." After passing by Japan's islands and Taiwan's northern tip, Bavi is projected to make landfall in eastern China over the weekend. China has already been hit by severe weather this week, with storms causing at least 39 deaths, widespread river flooding, and a dam burst in its southern and central regions. Experts suggest that the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, coupled with record-high ocean temperatures in June and the return of El Niño, may be contributing to the intensification of typhoons and heavier rainfall. Source: Philstar Nation