Typhoon Bavi already disrupting transportation across Taiwan

Taipei, July 8 (CNA) Taiwan stepped up preparations for Typhoon Bavi on Wednesday as the storm drew nearer, suspending ferry services to offshore islands, closing tourist attractions, preparing traffic restrictions and offering flexible airline ticket changes.

As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, Bavi was located about 1,380 kilometers east-southeast of Cape Eluanbi, Taiwan's southernmost point, moving west-northwest at 17-21 km per hour, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The storm, described as a "super typhoon" by the American military's Joint Typhoon Warning Center, had maximum sustained winds of 216 kilometers per hour near its center and a storm radius of 380 kilometers, CWA data showed.

The CWA said it could issue a sea warning as early as Thursday, followed by a land warning late Thursday or early Friday, with the eye of the storm forecast to pass northeast of Taiwan.

All passenger ferry services in eastern Taiwan were suspended Wednesday afternoon with sailings expected to resume Sunday, weather permitting, the Maritime and Port Bureau said.

The Keelung-Matsu route will also be suspended from Thursday through Saturday, while routes linking Kaohsiung and Budai with Penghu, as well as Donggang and Yanpu with Xiaoliuqiu, will see partial or full suspensions over the same period.

The bureau urged travelers to return from offshore islands on available sailings Wednesday and Thursday and postpone nonessential trips to avoid being stranded.

In Taitung County, ferry operators spent Wednesday morning transporting tourists back from Green Island and Orchid Island before afternoon sailings were canceled, while food and other daily necessities were rushed to the islands.

The Coast Guard Administration said 86 people had been transported to Taitung County from the county's offshore islands, while 1,325 visitors remained on Green Island.

At Fugang Fishing Harbor, more than 10 fishing boat owners hired a crane to lift inflatable fishing rafts onto shore to protect them from high winds and waves after previous typhoons caused vessels to collide in the harbor.

Elsewhere in Taitung, banana farmers rushed to harvest crops before the storm, while traditional markets and supermarkets reported about a 30 percent increase in shoppers stocking up on supplies.

Authorities also announced the preemptive closure of Guishan (Turtle) Island off Yilan County from Thursday through Sunday because of expected high waves and strong winds.

On land, the Highway Bureau said landslide-prone routes, including the Suhua and Beiyi highways (both part of Provincial Highway No. 9) and the Northern Cross-Island Highway (Provincial Highway No. 7), would be closely monitored.

The bureau also warned that the newly opened Danjiang Bridge on Provincial Highway No. 61 could face traffic restrictions if winds strengthen, with speed limits reduced when average wind speeds reach 62-74 kph and the bridge closed if they reach 89-102 kph.

Meanwhile, China Airlines said it would waive ticket rebooking fees for flights scheduled between Thursday and Saturday if changes are made by July 31, though normal refund rules will still apply.

In Taipei, the city government's weather team expected the city to enter Bavi's storm circle at around 8 p.m. Friday, with the heaviest rain expected from Friday evening through Saturday evening.

Officials warned of wind gusts of up to 133-149 kph and as much as 400 millimeters of accumulated rainfall during the peak of the storm, with mountainous areas facing the risk of extremely heavy rain.