Taiwanese authorities have warned that Bavi could bring up to 1m (39 inches) of rainfall. Some 29,000 soldiers have been put on standby to help with relief efforts, according to the island’s defence ministry.
Bavi is set to be the largest storm, by size, to hit the island since 1987, Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration told Reuters.
Farmers across the region rushed to harvest or protect their crops while the weather held earlier on Friday, while fishermen made sure to secure their vessels tightly.
“Don’t be fooled by the nice and calm weather now. A storm like this could be the most terrifying,” 60-year-old fisherman Chen Ming-hui told Reuters.
Thousands of sandbags have been distributed to residents and shop-owners in flood-prone areas.
Across the strait, China has also warned of “significant impact” from the typhoon that could move northward after smashing into the south-eastern Fujian province.
“Bavi’s large size and abundant energy mean its remnants and outer rainbands could move from Jiangsu and Anhui provinces toward the Bohai Sea region,” said Ma Jun, director of China’s Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs.
The northern provinces, which have “less experience” dealing with typhoons in comparison with the south, should “strengthen preparations”, he warned.
Some forecasts suggest Bavi could make landfall twice in China.
