More than a million people were moved to safety across eastern China by Sunday evening as powerful Typhoon Dolphin made landfall, sparking widespread concerns regarding torrential rain, landslides, and flooding. The coastal city of Wenzhou, located in Zhejiang province, led the effort by relocating over 900,000 residents and establishing more than 1,500 emergency shelters. Meanwhile, in neighbouring Fujian, 98,900 individuals were evacuated from high-risk areas.
Shanghai also saw significant displacement, with 215,600 people moved from vulnerable zones by Sunday evening, a sharp increase from the earlier estimate of 30,300. The city experienced historic weather conditions, as a central weather station recorded its highest 24-hour rainfall total in more than 150 years. Consequently, authorities at Shanghai’s two major airports were forced to cancel more than 1,300 flights.
Although Dolphin weakened rapidly into a tropical storm by 5am on Monday, officials warned that the danger persists as the system moves inland. Forecasters predict that some regions could receive between 200 and 400mm (7.9–15.7 inches) of rain in the coming days. The storm's path is expected to affect large portions of eastern and central China, extending north into Shandong and impacting Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Residents are being urged to remain indoors as authorities monitor the risk of widespread flooding and landslides through Wednesday.
Before reaching China, the typhoon swept through Japan’s Okinawa prefecture, where it cut power to more than 50,000 buildings and left six people injured. In the Philippines, while the storm did not make landfall, it intensified seasonal monsoon rains, leading to flooding across the main northern Luzon region, including areas surrounding Manila. Scientists have noted that global warming is increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events, including more powerful typhoons.
