More than a million people were evacuated across eastern China by Sunday evening as powerful Typhoon Dolphin made landfall. The storm has prompted fears of widespread flooding and landslides due to torrential rain.
In Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, over 900,000 people were relocated and more than 1,500 emergency shelters were opened. Neighbouring Fujian saw 98,900 people moved from high-risk areas. Shanghai also moved 215,600 people from at-risk zones by Sunday evening, with a city centre weather station recording its highest 24-hour rainfall in over 150 years.
Dolphin weakened to a tropical storm by 5am on Monday. However, forecasters predict 200-400mm (7.9–15.7 inches) of rainfall in some areas over the coming days as the storm moves northwards and inland. Heavy rain is expected across large parts of eastern and central China, extending into Shandong and affecting Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Authorities have warned of potential widespread flooding and landslides through Wednesday, advising people to stay indoors.
The storm led to the cancellation of over 1,300 flights at Shanghai's two airports and the suspension of many local train services. Zhejiang’s Ningbo international airport is set to resume flight operations from midday on Monday, though delays or cancellations are still possible. Hangzhou, the provincial capital, resumed subway services on Monday morning.
Elsewhere, Dolphin contributed to intense heat in Hong Kong on Sunday, reaching a record 36.9C, with officials expecting the heat to continue into Tuesday. In Taiwan, ferry services were suspended and over 180 flights cancelled due to downpours and strong winds. The typhoon also caused six injuries and power cuts to over 50,000 buildings in Japan's southern Okinawa prefecture and intensified monsoon rains in the northern Luzon region of the Philippines.