China issues red alert for rainstorms as Typhoon Bavi approaches

China's National Meteorological Center continued to issue an orange alert for Typhoon Bavi on Saturday, which is forecast to bring torrential rains and strong winds to parts of the country.

At 10 am on Saturday, the center said Bavi was moving toward the northwest at a speed of about 30 kilometers per hour, gradually approaching the coast of southern Zhejiang province.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall between Sanmen county and Cangnan county in Zhejiang early on Sunday, bringing winds of 33 to 40 meters per second. After landfall, Bavi is expected to turn toward the northwest and then to the north, with its intensity gradually weakening, the center said.

At 10 am Saturday, the center issued its first red alert for rainstorms this year, the highest level in China's four-tier warning system.

From 2 pm Saturday to 2 pm Sunday, heavy rainfall is expected in parts of Zhejiang, Fujian province, Jiangxi province, Anhui province, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei province, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Liaoning province, and Jilin province.

Downpours are also forecast in provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan.

The center forecasts that some regions could receive more than 250 millimeters of rain, with localized rainfall reaching 250 to 280 millimeters in parts of northeastern and southern Beijing, as well as central and northeastern Hebei.

Some areas in eastern and southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian could see 250 to 500 millimeters, while parts of central and northern Taiwan could receive up to 250 to 800 millimeters.

The center warned that some affected areas may also experience short-duration intense rainfall, thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail.

Authorities have urged local governments to strengthen disaster prevention measures, monitor flooding risks, and prepare for possible emergencies.