Authorities suspend services across rail, air, ferry as Typhoon Bavi approaches

Chinese authorities have stepped up emergency measures as Typhoon Bavi is set to slam into the country's eastern coast, disrupting rail, air and ferry services and forcing travel operators to suspend routes.

Typhoon Bavi, the ninth typhoon of the year, is expected to make landfall along the coast between Sanmen and Cangnan in east China's Zhejiang Province in the early hours of Sunday. After landfall, it is forecast to move northwestward and then shift toward a more northerly direction.

Railway operators have suspended train services on multiple lines in the Yangtze River Delta, Fujian, Jiangxi and Guangdong due to the approaching typhoon.

The China Railway Nanchang Group has raised its flood and typhoon emergency response to Level II on sections of the Hefei-Fuzhou, Changfu and Yongguang high-speed railways, as well as the Quzhou-Ningde, Yingtan-Xiamen and Fuzhou-Pingtan lines.

At Shangrao and Fuzhou stations in Jiangxi, non-slip mats have been laid in passages and stairways, with staff on duty to keep floors dry.

Additional ticketing and refund windows have been opened to reduce waiting times, and station personnel have been deployed at gates and passageways to guide passengers.

"The railway station has stepped up its public address system with more frequent announcements, providing real-time train service updates, timetables and travel tips on a continuous loop. Information is being synchronized across multiple platforms to ensure passengers have access to the latest travel updates at all times," said Wang Mengli, railway staff at Shangrao Station.

In addition, railway bureaus in vulnerable cities, including Nanning in the south, Shenyang in the northeast, and even the inland metropolis Chengdu, have implemented flood prevention measures.

Drones and ground patrols have been deployed to monitor high-risk sections, while speed restrictions, section closures and temporary suspensions have been implemented on affected lines in the southwest and northeast in response to heavy rainfall expected in the coming days.

Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines have announced flexible ticket policies for passengers affected by Typhoon Bavi, offering free flight changes or full refunds without penalty for eligible tickets.

In coastal east China's Fujian, 70 of the province's 71 passenger ferry routes have been suspended as of noon Saturday, with vessels weighing over 50,000 tonnes and those carrying dangerous goods in the river mouth north of the port city Quanzhou relocated to shelter from the storm.

Authorities suspend services across rail, air, ferry as Typhoon Bavi approaches

Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized advancing agricultural modernization and ensuring food security when making investigation in northeast China's Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces from Monday to Wednesday.

In Heilongjiang Province, Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited a state farm and observed the growth of soybean, corn, and rice crops. He stressed that autumn grain accounts for the bulk of annual output, calling for stepped-up farmland management and policy support to ensure grain harvest.

Visiting an agricultural science park and a rice research institute, Li asked about seed breeding innovation and black soil conservation, highlighting the importance of science and technology in pursuing higher yields and calling for further efforts in seed breeding, advanced machinery, and smart farming.

At a major water conservancy project, Li reviewed construction progress, urging faster completion to improve flood control, irrigation, and ecological benefits while supporting stable, high-yield harvests.

In Jilin Province, Li visited an agricultural cooperative and learned about its operations. He called for developing diverse forms of appropriately scaled agricultural operations and improving services for agriculture to help smallholders connect with modern agriculture.

At a grain processing plant, Li inspected a corn oil production line and called for boosting intensive processing of agricultural products to extend industrial chains and raise value.

Li also visited the Chagan Lake and learned about the ecological fisheries. He called for actively developing modern eco-aquaculture, promoting integrated development of the farming, forestry, livestock, and fishing industries as well as the development of eco-tourism.

Chinese premier stresses agricultural modernization, food security