Hundreds of thousands evacuated as Typhoon Bavi barrels towards China

Super Typhoon Bavi has been downgraded but is still dangerous, meteorologists say.More than 600,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in China as Typhoon Bavi barrels towards the country after hitting Japan’s Sakishima islands and grazing northern Taiwan.Chinese authorities said on Saturday more than half a million people were evacuated in the eastern Zhejiang province and another 100,000 in neighbouring Fujian province.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Extreme weather disrupts US’s 250th anniversary celebrationslist 2 of 4‘We have nothing to cool off with’: French heatwave exposes inequalitieslist 3 of 4Tornadoes kill 17 in central China as Typhoon Bavi looms offshorelist 4 of 4Hottest June on record in Western Europe as heatwaves hit continentend of listBavi is expected to make landfall in Wenzhou, a densely populated city in Zhejiang, in the early hours of Sunday, and is expected to bring heavy rains.Although significantly weakened since it thundered through the US Pacific islands on Monday and tracked northwest, Typhoon Bavi remains a significant risk due to the large volumes of moisture it carries in its rain bands.In China, the national weather agency issued an orange typhoon alert – the second-highest on a four-level rating. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled, rail travel services have been reduced, and many schools and ferry services have been suspended.“I’m a little worried, but I think it’ll be OK,” Wenzhou resident Huang Xinghuan, 50, told Reuters news agency while buying groceries at a traditional wet market before it closed ahead of the typhoon.His family, he said, had stocked about two or three days’ water, and food supplies remain guaranteed.“We’ve been through typhoons before. We’ll get through it,” he added.In Ningde city, Fujian province, more than 3,700 people were evacuated from high-risk onshore areas by Friday evening, Xinhua News Agency said. Authorities there have placed more than 17,000 emergency rescue workers on standby.