As July 10, 2026 brings a rare large-scale weather event to East Asia, Taiwan is preparing for the arrival of Typhoon Bavi, a massive storm system advancing toward the island at a steady 27 kilometers per hour. Meteorological officials warn the storm could dump up to 700 millimeters of rain across affected regions in just 24 hours, a volume that raises severe flooding risks even in areas with well-established drainage infrastructure.
While forecasters project Bavi will track through waters just off Taiwan’s northern coast rather than making a direct landfall, the unprecedented size of the storm system means no part of the island will escape its impacts. The Central Weather Administration has confirmed that Bavi is the largest tropical cyclone to approach Taiwan since 1987, a classification that has triggered widespread emergency preparations across the entire island, far beyond the areas expected to face the worst conditions.
Among the communities preparing for the storm is the small population of Belizean residents living in Taiwan, including a large cohort of international students. With severe weather expected to last from Wednesday into Thursday, most Belizeans have stocked up on emergency food, water and supplies and are remaining indoors to ride out the storm.
Nay Smith, a Belizean national currently residing in Taiwan, shared her on-the-ground experience ahead of the storm’s peak. She noted that the Belizean embassy has delivered prompt, consistent support to the community: “The embassy response has been really good. They have been keeping us updated, and I’m pretty sure they will message later to check on us.” Still, she shared a lighthearted observation about the storm’s slow build: “What’s disappointing is the rain; I expected much more, provided that it was marked as one of the heaviest ones ever since I don’t remember which year. The night market was half open and the morning one too.”
In response to the incoming storm, Taiwan’s government has suspended all work and classes across Taipei and multiple other high-risk cities. Nationwide, nearly 29,000 military personnel have been placed on active standby to deploy for flood control efforts and emergency rescue operations if disaster strikes. The scale of preparation reflects the rarity of storms of this size in the region, with officials urging residents to remain vigilant even if their local area does not see immediate severe conditions.