Typhoon Bavi Slams Zhejiang; Man Detained for False Claims

Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm to make landfall in China so far in 2026, struck Zhejiang Province late on July 11, bringing destructive winds and torrential rain to a wide swath of eastern China. As authorities mobilized emergency responses at the highest level, Shanghai police detained a 49-year-old man for posting an old video of flooded roads and falsely attributing it to the typhoon.

Landfall and Immediate Impact

According to Xinhua News, the center of Typhoon Bavi — the ninth named storm of the 2026 Pacific typhoon season — made its first landfall at 23:20 on July 11 in Kanmen, Yuhuan, Taizhou, with maximum sustained winds of 40 meters per second (Category 13 on China’s scale) and a minimum central pressure of 955 hPa. Shortly after midnight, the storm struck a second time in Qingjiang Town, Yueqing, Wenzhou.

Bavi is an unusually large storm, with a diameter exceeding 1,500 kilometers — earning it the description of a “giant typhoon.” As China News reported, the storm maintained super typhoon intensity for an extraordinary 138 hours after forming on July 2, making it both powerful and long-lasting.

Emergency Response Escalation

Zhejiang Province escalated its emergency response rapidly over three days, moving from Level IV on July 9 to the highest Level I by the morning of July 11. The National Flood Control Headquarters raised its response to Level III for Zhejiang and Fujian, while the China Meteorological Administration activated a Level II meteorological emergency response.

On July 12, the National Disaster Relief Commission activated a Level IV disaster relief response for Zhejiang and dispatched a working group to the affected areas, according to a separate Xinhua report. The commission’s task is to assist with the evacuation and resettlement of affected residents and ensure basic living needs are met.

Widespread Disruptions

The storm’s impact has been felt far beyond Zhejiang’s coastline. Transportation networks across eastern China faced severe disruptions. Shanghai’s Pudong and Hongqiao airports saw approximately 20 percent of flights reduced or canceled, while Hangzhou reported 198 flight cancellations. Airports in Wenzhou, Fuzhou, Taizhou, and Lishui suspended all flights. Multiple high-speed rail and conventional rail lines — including the Shanghai-Kunming, Beijing-Shanghai, and Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou routes — also suspended services.

In Taiwan, the storm’s outer bands caused 36 injuries and prompted the evacuation of more than 14,000 people, with most counties suspending work and school.

China Weather Net analyst Sun Qianqian warned that Bavi’s large size means its effects will be prolonged and geographically extensive. Heavy rainfall is expected to sweep across more than ten provinces, including Jiangxi, Anhui, Hubei, Henan, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, with the storm’s residual circulation potentially lingering through July 15.

Misinformation Crackdown

Amid the unfolding emergency, Shanghai police moved quickly to address the spread of false information. According to Sina News, a 49-year-old man identified as Sha was detained on July 9 after posting a three-year-old video of flooded rural roads in Fengxian District’s Guangming Town and claiming it was “caused by the rain,” leading viewers to believe Typhoon Bavi had already caused severe flooding.

Police stated that Sha acted “to gain attention” and that his actions disrupted public order. He was handed an administrative detention sentence for fabricating facts. In a public statement, the Fengxian police warned that authorities would “strictly investigate and punish according to law” any acts of fabricating false information that interfere with typhoon and flood prevention efforts, urging citizens not to forward unverified content.

Broader Implications

The dual narrative of Bavi’s landfall — a powerful natural disaster met with a robust emergency response, alongside a swift crackdown on misinformation — highlights the challenges authorities face during crisis situations. China’s four-tier emergency response system, activated in rapid succession, demonstrates established disaster preparedness protocols. At the same time, the arrest underscores the government’s priority on maintaining information integrity during emergencies.

Meteorologists are also noting that Bavi’s track — targeting Zhejiang directly in July — is somewhat atypical. Historical data from 1949 to 2025 shows that July typhoons most commonly make landfall in Guangdong, followed by Taiwan and Fujian. Whether this shift reflects broader climatic changes remains an open question that scientists will likely examine in the coming months.

What to Watch For

As Bavi continues moving northwest and gradually weakening, the focus now shifts to the storm’s residual circulation, which is expected to bring heavy rain to central and northern China over the next several days. The risk of secondary disasters — including mountain floods, geological hazards, urban waterlogging, and river flooding — remains high across a broad area. Authorities continue to urge residents in affected regions to stay vigilant and follow official guidance.