Typhoon Bavi: Indian Consulate Shanghai activates emergency helpline for diaspora
Synopsis
With Super Typhoon Bavi packing winds of 42 metres per second and set to slam Zhejiang's coast Sunday, India's Shanghai consulate has done something unusual — kept its doors open through the weekend and activated an emergency helpline. Over 700 flights across Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Ningbo are already grounded, and China has placed five provinces on Level-IV flood alert.
Key Takeaways
Consul General Pratik Mathur chaired an emergency review meeting with Indian community associations from Shanghai Municipality and Zhejiang Province on 11 July .
The Indian Consulate General in Shanghai activated a dedicated emergency helpline and will remain open through the weekend.
Over 700 flights cancelled across Shanghai (387), Hangzhou (198), and Ningbo (164); rail services suspended from 11–14 July .
Typhoon Bavi , the ninth typhoon of the year, is expected to make landfall between Sanmen and Cangnan in Zhejiang Province in the early hours of Sunday with winds of 42 m/s .
China activated a Level-IV emergency response across five provinces including Shanghai , Jiangsu , Anhui , Jiangxi , and Sichuan .
Rainfall of 250–800 mm forecast for parts of Zhejiang , Fujian , and Taiwan Island within 24 hours.
The Indian Consulate General in Shanghai on Saturday, 11 July activated an emergency helpline and reviewed disaster-response measures for the Indian diaspora ahead of Super Typhoon Bavi, which is forecast to make landfall along Zhejiang Province's coast in the early hours of Sunday. Consul General Pratik Mathur chaired a hybrid-format meeting with Indian community associations from Shanghai Municipality and Zhejiang Province to assess preparedness across eastern China.
What the Consulate Has Put in Place
According to a post on X by the Consulate General of India in Shanghai, the review covered emergency response measures including the establishment of a dedicated emergency helpline for community members. The consulate confirmed that community and emergency consular services will remain open to the public through the weekend — an unusual step that signals the severity of the threat being anticipated.
Massive Travel Disruptions Across Eastern China
The consulate also flagged sweeping travel disruptions across the region. In Shanghai, 387 flights were cancelled on Saturday — 300 at Pudong Airport and 87 at Hongqiao Airport. In Hangzhou, 198 flights were cancelled as of 8:30 am Saturday, and in Ningbo, 164 flights were grounded. Rail services across parts of eastern China face suspensions from 11 to 14 July. Indians in the affected provinces are advised to avoid non-essential travel.
China's Emergency Response Machinery Mobilised
Chinese authorities escalated their response significantly on Saturday. The country's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters activated a Level-IV emergency response for flood and typhoon control across Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Sichuan provinces, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management. Meteorological, water resources, transport, and emergency management authorities all issued alerts and reinforced flood-control measures ahead of the expected landfall.
Typhoon Bavi: Scale and Track
Typhoon Bavi, the ninth typhoon of the year, was located approximately 460 km southeast of the Zhejiang-Fujian provincial border at 9 am Saturday, packing maximum winds of 42 metres per second near its centre, according to the ministry. It is expected to make landfall between Sanmen and Cangnan in eastern Zhejiang Province in the early hours of Sunday before moving northwestward and then shifting north.
Extreme Rainfall Warnings Issued
China's National Meteorological Centre issued a red alert for rainstorms — the highest level in its four-tier warning system — alongside an orange alert for the typhoon. Within 24 hours to 2 pm Sunday, torrential rain is forecast across Zhejiang, northern Fujian, northeastern Jiangxi, southern Anhui, and parts of Beijing and Hebei. Accumulated rainfall could reach 250 to 500 mm in parts of eastern and southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian, and 250 to 800 mm in parts of central and northern Taiwan Island. As the storm approaches, the situation for the Indian community in eastern China remains closely monitored by consular officials.
Point of View
Not a manageable inconvenience. With over 700 flights already cancelled and rail links suspended across five provinces, the Indian diaspora in eastern China faces a window of near-total mobility loss. The broader question is whether India's consular network in China — historically thin on ground-level emergency infrastructure — can scale up fast enough if the typhoon intensifies or tracks unpredictably after landfall. The Level-IV activation across five Chinese provinces, including landlocked Sichuan, underscores how far inland Bavi's rain bands are expected to reach.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Indian Consulate in Shanghai doing for the diaspora during Typhoon Bavi?
The Consulate General of India in Shanghai has activated an emergency helpline and is keeping its community and consular services open through the weekend of 11–12 July. Consul General Pratik Mathur chaired a hybrid review meeting with Indian community associations from Shanghai Municipality and Zhejiang Province to assess emergency response readiness.
When and where is Typhoon Bavi expected to make landfall?
Typhoon Bavi is forecast to make landfall along the coast between Sanmen and Cangnan in eastern Zhejiang Province in the early hours of Sunday, 12 July. At 9 am Saturday it was located about 460 km southeast of the Zhejiang-Fujian border, with maximum winds of 42 metres per second near its centre.
How many flights have been cancelled due to Typhoon Bavi?
As of Saturday 11 July, over 700 flights were cancelled across eastern China — 387 in Shanghai (300 at Pudong, 87 at Hongqiao), 198 in Hangzhou as of 8:30 am, and 164 in Ningbo. Rail services in the region are also suspended from 11 to 14 July.
What level of emergency has China declared for Typhoon Bavi?
China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters activated a Level-IV emergency response — the entry level of its four-tier system — for flood and typhoon control in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Sichuan. The National Meteorological Centre also issued a red alert for rainstorms, the highest in its warning hierarchy.
How much rainfall is expected from Typhoon Bavi?
The national observatory forecasts accumulated rainfall of 250 to 500 mm in parts of eastern and southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian, and 250 to 800 mm in parts of central and northern Taiwan Island, within 24 hours to 2 pm Sunday. Torrential rain is also expected in northeastern Jiangxi, southern Anhui, and parts of Beijing and Hebei.
