China: China's eastern provinces step up defenses as Typhoon Bavi approaches.

Shotlist Jiangyin City, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, east China - July 9, 2026 1. Various of ships in Yangtze River 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Li Yasai, director, command center, Jiangyin Maritime Safety Administration (partially overlaid with): "Since July 8, we have evacuated about 500 vessels from anchorages, mooring areas, and ports within our jurisdiction. We have also deployed six patrol boats and 15 high-horsepower tugboats to standby points for 24-hour emergency readiness to handle all types of contingencies." SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE 3. Various of maritime officers working in office SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE 4. Various of evacuation operation in progress Shanghai, China - Recent 5. Various of ships in river 6. Various of fire and rescue detachment personnel doing inspection of rescue equipments 7. Various of fire and rescue detachment personnel inspecting windows, installing water barriers, sandbags 8. Various of staff members checking equipment, in discussion Storyline China's eastern coastal provinces have intensified typhoon prevention and response efforts as Typhoon Bavi, the ninth of the year, approaches with strong winds and heavy rain. In Jiangsu, the provincial maritime safety administration raised its emergency response to Level III, a status requiring suspension of operations and evacuation of personnel in exposed areas, late Thursday. All waterway activity along the Yangtze River section was halted, vessels were directed to nearby shelters, and more than 600 workers on the Zhangjinggao Yangtze River Bridge project were evacuated from island construction sites. The river, normally crowded with traffic, was largely empty Friday as vessels under 80 meters were placed under traffic control and others sought refuge in inland waterways and anchorages. By noon, all above‑ and below‑water construction and sea trials had been halted, and fishery authorities ordered coastal boats back to port by 6 p.m., completing the evacuation of 1,149 personnel from 267 construction vessels. "Since July 8, we have evacuated about 500 vessels from anchorages, mooring areas, and ports within our jurisdiction. We have also deployed six patrol boats and 15 high-horsepower tugboats to standby points for 24-hour emergency readiness to handle all types of contingencies," said Li Yasai, director of the command center at the Jiangyin Maritime Safety Administration. Major infrastructure projects also advanced evacuation plans. Work on the Zhangjinggao Bridge, set to be the world’s longest‑span suspension bridge, was suspended at 4 p.m. Thursday, with more than 600 island‑based workers ferried to resettlement sites and all personnel evacuated by midnight. Meanwhile in Shanghai, where Typhoon Bavi is expected to bring significant wind and rainfall from July 11 to 13, authorities reinforced defenses across key sectors. In Pudong New Area, the fire and rescue department inspected flood‑control vehicles and boats, stocked life jackets and lighting gear, and reinforced doors and windows in older high‑rise communities. Additionally, sandbags and barriers were laid in water‑prone neighborhoods, while emergency teams in Chongming checked equipment for clearing fallen trees. In Jinshan District, inspectors focused on hazardous‑chemical warehouses, testing emergency pumps and verifying flood‑control supplies. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]