Typhoon Bavi Nears China's East Coast After Storms Leave 50 Dead Across the Country

China is preparing for the arrival of Typhoon Bavi , a powerful storm expected to strike the country's eastern coast this weekend, even as authorities continue to grapple with the aftermath of a series of deadly weather disasters that have already claimed 50 lives this week.

The typhoon, packing maximum sustained winds of 162 kmph , is forecast to pass north of Taiwan before making landfall late Saturday near the border of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, south of Shanghai. Officials have launched extensive emergency measures, evacuating more than 17,000 residents in Zhejiang and placing around 170,000 rescue personnel on standby.

In Taiwan, schools in Taipei were closed on Friday as heavy rain and strong winds approached the island. Fishing vessels were secured in northern ports, while numerous flights to destinations including Japan and Hong Kong were cancelled or rescheduled.

Chinese authorities have ordered fishing boats back to port and suspended several ferry services along the coast, warning of dangerous seas and severe weather conditions.

The approaching typhoon comes after days of devastating storms across the country. In the southern region of Guangxi , flooding triggered by Tropical Storm Maysak killed 39 people after relentless rainfall caused reservoirs to overflow and partially collapse a dam in Hengzhou . Fast-moving muddy waters inundated nearby areas, leaving many residents trapped on upper floors of buildings without electricity until rescuers reached them.

In Hubei province , severe thunderstorms and tornadoes killed 11 people earlier this week, causing widespread destruction. Separately, a landslide in Gansu province claimed the lives of 21 forestry workers , though officials said that disaster was unrelated to the storms.

As Bavi advances toward the mainland, emergency agencies remain on high alert, fearing that additional heavy rain and strong winds could further strain communities already battered by one of the country's deadliest weeks of weather in recent months.