Typhoon Bavi disrupts ferries, flights across Taiwan

Taipei, July 11 (CNA) Ferry and air services across Taiwan were disrupted Saturday as Typhoon Bavi approached, with 116 ferry sailings and more than 1,200 flights canceled, according to transportation authorities.

As of 1 p.m., the center of the storm was located about 250 kilometers northeast of Taipei and was moving northwest at 25 km per hour, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA).

All international flights into and out of Taipei Songshan Airport, Taoyuan International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport were canceled Saturday, as were all but five flights at Taichung International Airport.

Four of the flights, scheduled to arrive from South Korea and Vietnam between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., were listed as delayed, even though none of them had left their airports of origin as of 3:30 p.m., while a flight from Hong Kong scheduled to arrive at 7:55 p.m. was still listed as "on time."

All domestic flights in Taiwan, mostly from cities on outlying islands to airports on the main island of Taiwan, were also all canceled Saturday.

In terms of ferries, the Maritime and Port Bureau said 116 sailings on 13 ferry routes were canceled for the day.

The suspended services included routes linking Taiwan proper with outlying islands such as Matsu, Kinmen, Green Island, Orchid Island, Penghu and Xiaoliuqiu, as well as cross-Taiwan Strait ferry services connecting Matsu and Kinmen with destinations in China's Fujian Province.

The bureau urged the public to avoid traveling to outlying islands during the typhoon, warning that ferry suspensions could leave travelers stranded.