Typhoon ‘Dolphin’ made landfall on the eastern coast of China on Sunday with maximum sustained winds of 151 km/h, equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, according to the National Meteorological Centre (NMC). The storm hit near Yuhuan in Zhejiang province at about 5:30pm (0930 GMT), bringing torrential rains and strong winds to the region.

Mass Evacuations and Flight Cancellations

Chinese authorities issued a red alert, the highest level, as the typhoon approached, but Over 1,500 flights in Shanghai and more than 270 in Hangzhou were cancelled. In Wenzhou, city officials relocated over 900,000 residents and established more than 1,000 emergency shelters; Fujian province reported the evacuation of 98,900 people from high-risk areas.

According to the South China Morning Post, more than one million people were evacuated in areas affected by the typhoon; At least 210,000 people were displaced in Zhejiang, Fujian, and Shanghai. In Shanghai, over 30,000 people were evacuated as the Yangshan port cleared its docks and relocated over 500 small and medium-sized boats to safe areas.

Impact on Japan and Weather Forecasts

Before hitting China, ‘Dolphin’ passed through southern Japan, where it caused power outages for at least 50,000 buildings and injured six people; In Kagoshima and Okinawa, thousands of homes lost electricity, affecting about 26,000 people in Kagoshima and more than 18,000 in Okinawa. Japanese airlines canceled hundreds of flights with origins or destinations in the two prefectures, and local telephone services experienced disruptions.

Japanese authorities reported that more than 600 flights with origins or destinations in Okinawa were canceled until Sunday, and local governments requested the evacuation of about 5,000 people in Kagoshima. Weather forecasts predict that the effects of the typhoon, including strong winds and heavy rain, will persist through the weekend.

Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness

Scientists have noted that human-driven climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events globally. In response, Chinese authorities have taken extensive precautions, including moving maritime workers to safe locations, ordering vessels back to port, and conducting inspections of reservoirs, mountain rivers, landslide-prone areas, construction sites, and tourist spots.

After making landfall in China, ‘Dolphin’ is expected to head west and then slow as it moves through central and southwest China; the NMC warned of the risk of flooding and landslides, especially in mountainous areas and along smaller rivers. Air, rail, and maritime operations in Shanghai came to a halt due to the severe weather conditions, with about 1,400 flights,roughly 60% of all services—canceled at the city’s Pudong and Hongqiao airports.