Super Typhoon Bavi: A Path of Destruction Across the Pacific

Landfall and Impact in China

After tracking across the western Pacific, Super Typhoon Bavi made landfall as a Category 1 typhoon near Yuhuan, Zhejiang, late on July 11, 2026, with winds near 144 km/h (about 23:20 local time). The storm has since weakened while moving inland, though flooding remains the primary hazard across eastern Zhejiang and northeastern Fujian. In response to the storm’s approach, Chinese authorities evacuated approximately 1.8 million people and issued the country’s first red rainstorm alert of 2026.

The regional impact has been severe. Taiwan reported more than 100 injuries and the cancellation of some 920 international flights. In Japan, officials logged at least five injuries in Okinawa. As of July 12, 2026, the storm was centered near 28.7°N, 120.4°E, moving northwest at about 31 km/h with peak intensities recorded at 287 km/h (178 mph).

Destruction Across Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands

Bavi first became a tropical storm on July 1, rapidly strengthening into a typhoon two days later, and reaching super typhoon status later that same day. The storm struck the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands and Guam just after the Fourth of July holiday weekend. At 9 a.m. local time on Monday, July 6, the Category 5 storm raked across the island of Rota with peak sustained winds in the eyewall near 180 mph. According to the National Weather Service, this marked the first time a Category 5 eye passed directly over Rota, an island of fewer than 2,000 people.

For more on this story, see Super Typhoon Bavi: Catastrophic Winds Hit Pacific Near Guam.

Widespread damage was reported, particularly on Rota. A water distribution station near the airport suffered structural damage, and power poles and lines were bent and downed at the facility. A wood structure with a tin roof was also reportedly destroyed. Other areas felt the storm’s reach: gusts of 111 mph were clocked at Saipan International Airport and at the National Weather Service in Guam, while a gust of 94 mph was recorded on the island of Tinian.

Guam experienced significant flooding. Rocks and debris left lanes of Route 1 (Marine Corps Drive) impassable, according to the National Weather Service. Guam International Airport received 15.68 inches of rain between July 4 and July 5, with over 12 inches falling on July 5 alone.

Safety Warnings and Resident Preparedness

National Weather Service meteorologist Edwin Montvila described the situation on Rota as “catastrophic wind” and placed an extreme wind warning in effect for the island. Montvila emphasized that the storm posed an “imminent danger to life,” urging residents to move to interior rooms and stay away from windows.

“Entering outside can result in death from flying projectiles. Utility poles and associated power lines will be down,” Montvila said. “All those would pose a risk to life, so we recommend people to not venture out and hunker down.”

Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero urged people to stay indoors as warnings for Guam, Tinian, and Saipan remained in place through Monday night. The storm was described as “a bit erratic” overnight into Monday morning, wavering north and south as it headed west toward the islands.

Regional Cyclone Trends

Bavi is part of a highly active zone. The western Pacific Ocean north of the equator is the planet’s most active zone for tropical cyclones. In an average year, 25 to 26 tropical storms form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, 16 of which become typhoons. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are typically affected by tropical storms or typhoons six to seven times each year, with the season usually stretching from June through December.

This follows our earlier report, Typhoon Maysak Hits China: 2 Dead, Thousands Evacuated.

The region is still recovering from the effects of previous cyclones, including Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which battered the islands in April. The human toll of the current system has been highest in the Philippines, where monsoon-driven landslides resulted in 17 deaths, with nine people still missing as of July 12. As the storm continues to dissipate over China, emergency services remain focused on managing inland flooding.