Typhoon Bavi Approaches China, Causing Widespread Concern

Satellite imagery from China’s official weather forecaster shows Bavi covers nearly 940,000 sq km (363,000 square miles) – an area about nine times the size of the eastern province of Zhejiang or 850 times the size of Hong Kong.

In recent days, Hui Xinyi, a high school English tutor in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has constantly refreshed weather apps and scrolled through social media for updates.

“Whether it will actually make landfall here or just brush past is still up in the air. It’s this uncertainty that makes people really panic,” she said.

Living on the 25th floor of a high-rise building, Hui plans to tape her windows and stock up on instant food and bottled water in case strong winds cause shortages of electricity or water. She said disruptions might force her to move her classes online or postpone them altogether.

Tang Wanmei, a resident of Suzhou, Jiangsu province, is also closely monitoring the typhoon’s path. She is scheduled to fly from nearby Shanghai to Yunnan province on Monday and worries the storm could derail her travel plans.

“My biggest concern now is whether my flight from Shanghai will be cancelled,” she said.