Typhoon Bavi expected to skirt Taiwan

Typhoon Bavi is shaping up to be one of the biggest storms the region has seen in decades, and is expected to skirt Taiwan enroute to the Chinese mainland eastern seaboard provinces.

As of Thursday, the typhoon is approximately 1000 kilometres wide, roughly the size of France, with winds close to 200 kilometres per hour.

Taiwanese officials are urging residents to stock up on at least a few days worth of food, water, torches and other emergency supplies.

Fishermen are returning to port with or without catch so as to ensure their own safety.

Chinese Mainland authorities expect the coasts of Wenzhou, Zhejiang and Ningde, Fujian, to bear the brunt of Typhoon Bavi's surge.

The Central Meteorological Observatory predicts Bavi will brush past the northern coast of Taiwan during he day on Saturday and make landfall along the coast from Fuqing, Fujian to Wenling, Zhejiang on Saturday night.

Meanwhile in Okinawa, local officials are making preparations for possible flooding and landslides as Bavi is also expected to hit the island chain Friday night.