Typhoon Bavi weakened to a severe tropical storm on Sunday after making landfall in eastern China, prompting authorities to evacuate nearly two million people from its path, with no immediate reports of casualties.

Before reaching China, the typhoon struck northern Taiwan and remote southwestern islands of Japan, uprooting trees and cutting power to tens of thousands of residents.

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Last week, severe weather caused widespread damage in southern and central China, with storms killing at least 39 people, causing dozens of rivers to overflow and a dam to collapse.

Rapid water flow

Bavi made landfall at around 11:20 p.m. Saturday (15:20 GMT) with winds of 144 kilometers per hour, according to the official Xinhua News Agency, citing the weather bureau in Zhejiang Province. State broadcaster CCTV reported that the hardest-hit area experienced strong winds and heavy rain as the typhoon reached Yuhua City, causing rapid water flow and uprooting trees along roads. The typhoon also hit Yueqing City, where fire and rescue personnel and municipal workers were clearing more than 1,300 fallen or uprooted trees, according to CCTV.

Heavy rainfall

The typhoon's eye moved near Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, on Sunday morning with winds of about 108 kilometers per hour, according to the weather bureau. Provincial officials forecast heavy rainfall in coastal areas and the possibility of flash floods, warning of transportation disruptions, river flooding, and inundation of farmland.