Tropical Storm Dolphin struck Yuhuan in Zhejiang province late on Sunday as a typhoon, bringing maximum sustained winds of 151 kilometres per hour and torrential rain to eastern China. The storm had weakened into a tropical storm by Monday as it moved inland.
More than a million people were evacuated, while authorities warned of severe flooding and landslides. Shanghai’s two airports cancelled 943 flights, reducing capacity by nearly 40 percent, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Rain and disruption across eastern provinces
Dolphin continued to soak Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong after losing energy inland. Forecasters expected torrential rain through August 10 across Zhejiang, Shanghai, northern Fujian, northeastern Jiangxi, central and southern Anhui, and much of Jiangsu.
Parts of central and eastern Zhejiang could receive 250–500mm of rain. Authorities urged residents to work from home and avoid going outside where possible. In Wenling, Zhejiang, search and rescue crews were looking for a nine-year-old boy who was swept into the sea during the storm, local media reported.
Related coverage: Typhoon Dolphin injures five in Japan as China prepares.
Evacuations and the highest typhoon alert
China’s National Meteorological Center activated a red alert, the highest level in the country’s typhoon warning system, as Dolphin approached, according to an official statement on the Chinese government’s website.
More than 900,000 residents were relocated in Wenzhou alone. Nearly 100,000 people were evacuated in Shanghai and another 99,000 in neighbouring Fujian province, state media reported.
Storm expected to move toward central China
Dolphin was forecast to move deeper inland toward Hubei and Henan in the coming days while pushing moisture north. The storm was described as the strongest typhoon to hit China this year.
More context: Strong Typhoon Noul Hits Southern China and Hong Kong, Forcing Over 715,000 to Evacuate.
Beijing raised warnings for torrential rain and said it was prepared to activate its flood-control response on Tuesday morning. Significant rainfall was expected in the capital from Tuesday through Thursday, with warnings about flash floods in the city and landslides in surrounding mountainous areas.
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