Typhoon Dolphin Hits Eastern China, More Than 1 Million Residents Evacuated and Shanghai Flooded

Eastern China has been hit by torrential rain and powerful winds following the arrival of Typhoon Dolphin, forcing the evacuation of more than 1 million residents and significantly increasing the risk of flooding.

Dolphin made landfall on Sunday evening in Zhejiang province, where severe weather flooded several areas and disrupted transportation. On Monday, around 1,000 flights were canceled in Shanghai, one of China’s main economic centers.

Initially, Dolphin was described as the most powerful storm to hit China this year. When it made landfall in Yuhuan, Zhejiang, wind speeds reached up to 150 km/h.

Although authorities have downgraded Dolphin from a typhoon to a tropical storm, warnings for extreme rainfall and flooding will remain in effect until Wednesday.

Footage released from Shanghai shows streets underwater, while floodwaters have also reached the ground floors of businesses. Residents have been urged not to leave their homes, while several of the city’s best-known tourist attractions have been temporarily closed.

In Wenzhou alone, in Zhejiang province, authorities have relocated around 900,000 people, while around 390,000 others have been evacuated in Taizhou. More than 1,000 emergency centers have been made available to shelter those displaced.

Forecasts indicate that some parts of Zhejiang could receive between 250 and 500 millimeters of rain in the coming days.

So far, Chinese authorities have not reported any deaths in the country. However, according to state media, a 9-year-old boy from Wenling has been reported missing after he was allegedly swept away by seawater.

In Fujian province, severe weather has led to the suspension of dozens of ferry services. Work has also been halted on more than 100 offshore construction projects.

Before hitting China, Dolphin brought heavy rain to the Philippines, northern Taiwan and Japan’s Okinawa. Philippine authorities have linked 8 deaths to the heavy rains and poor weather conditions, while more than 7,000 people have been moved to evacuation centers.

Five elderly people were injured in Okinawa, while Hong Kong recorded a record temperature of 36.9 degrees Celsius.

In the western Pacific, typhoons typically occur between May and October. Experts warn that favorable atmospheric conditions could contribute to the formation of more powerful storms during this season.