Typhoon Babi made landfall in eastern China, displacing over 2.2 million residents in Zhejiang Province and causing widespread disruption to land, sea, and air transportation.
The China Meteorological Administration issued a red alert for heavy rain, the highest level, for the first time in nearly two years. Although Babi weakened to a tropical storm as it moved inland, additional heavy rain is forecast for Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shandong, indicating that damage may continue.
According to reports from China Central Television (CCTV), Typhoon Babi made landfall at 11:20 p.m. on July 11 in Yuhuan, Taizhou City, before briefly moving back out to sea and making landfall again in Wenzhou City about an hour later.
The maximum wind speed of Babi reached 38 m/s (approximately 137 km/h), classified as a level 13 wind on China's 17-level wind scale. This level of wind can uproot trees and topple utility poles, as well as damage building roofs.
The typhoon's impact was particularly severe in Zhejiang, a key economic and technological hub in China, home to Alibaba's headquarters in Hangzhou and the world's largest cargo port, Ningbo-Zhoushan. According to Reuters, over 2.8 million people nationwide were urgently evacuated, with approximately 2.2 million of them from Zhejiang Province. As of 9 a.m. local time on July 13, the number of casualties and injuries in Zhejiang had not yet been officially reported.
In Yuhuan, direct economic losses were estimated at about 840 million yuan (approximately $186.6 million). In Wenzhou, more than 700 trees were uprooted, with over 1,300 trees reported down. CCTV showed landslides covering roads with rocks and floodwaters submerging riverside trees. Rescue teams were deployed with excavators and chainsaws to clear fallen trees.
Air, train, and ferry services were halted across the region. According to the Fengpai newspaper, 327 flights were canceled at Hangzhou International Airport, while 684 flights and 1,620 train services were suspended in nearby Shanghai. High-speed train services connecting Beijing and Hong Kong were also temporarily halted.
The National Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management Commission of China issued a national-level four-tier emergency response (the lowest level) and provided 70,000 relief items, including foldable beds and blankets.
The China Meteorological Administration forecasted that Typhoon Babi would move to eastern Anhui on the afternoon of July 12 and turn northeast to enter the northern Yellow Sea on July 14.
As a result, heavy rain is expected from July 13 in Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, and Anhui, raising concerns about potential flooding and landslides.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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