China evacuates one million from homes as massive storm arrives

More than a million individuals were forced from their residences in eastern China, including Shanghai, as Typhoon Dolphin made landfall on Sunday evening. The storm brought maximum wind speeds of 150km/h (94mph) when it first struck Yuhuan in the Zhejiang province at 17:30 (09:30 GMT). The typhoon subsequently made a second landfall in the city of Wenzhou roughly an hour later, as reported by meteorological authorities.

The typhoon disrupted transportation throughout the region, with 1,400 flights cancelled solely in Shanghai. Initially, Chinese authorities issued a highest-level red alert for Dolphin; however, by Monday morning, the alert had been downgraded to a tropical storm. The storm continued its advance inland, and authorities cautioned of torrential rains, severe flooding, and the risk of landslides extending until Wednesday.

Heavy rain was predicted for the provinces of Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai on Monday. Local governments advised citizens to refrain from outdoor activities, and several prominent tourist attractions, such as parts of Disneyland and Legoland, as well as several viewing platforms along the Bund in Shanghai, remained closed.