Typhoon Dolphin makes landfall in China after flight cancellations, evacuations

On Sunday, Typhoon Dolphin made landfall on China's eastern coast near Yuhuan City in Zhejiang Province, meteorological authorities reported. The storm caused over 1,000 flight cancellations, evacuations, and prompted a top-level alert. China's east coast had been preparing for the storm's arrival, with work and transport services suspended in some areas along its predicted path. At the time of landfall, the typhoon's center was moving at more than 150 km (94 miles) per hour.

Nearly 1,400 flights from and to Shanghai's two main passenger airports were cancelled, and Hangzhou's airport in nearby Zhejiang province saw 270 inbound and outbound flights cancelled. The effects of the storm were felt as far away as Hong Kong, where the weather observatory recorded a record high temperature of 36.9°C due to warm air pushed over the city by Typhoon Dolphin.

As the typhoon moved inland, its outer subsiding air brought extremely hot weather to Hong Kong from Tuesday. In Okinawa, Japan, seven people suffered minor injuries, including an elderly man who fell and hit his head after being blown over by strong winds. Over 5,290 households in Okinawa were without electricity by Sunday afternoon, and more than 180 flights were cancelled.

Taiwan also experienced the storm's effects, with dozens of ferry services suspended and more than 180 flights cancelled. China's National Meteorological Centre issued a red typhoon alert, its most severe warning, forecasting extraordinary torrential rain in central and eastern Zhejiang. Heavy precipitation was also expected in Shanghai and parts of Fujian, Anhui, and Jiangsu provinces through Monday afternoon.

By Saturday evening, nearly 99,000 people had been relocated from risky areas in Fujian ahead of the storm's arrival. Services on over 200 ferry routes were suspended in Zhejiang and Fujian, while 474 construction vessels had been called to port by Friday morning. Some train services in affected areas were also suspended on Sunday for passenger safety.