Typhoon Dolphin, the most powerful tropical cyclone to hit China this year, made landfall on the country’s eastern coast on Sunday, bringing torrential rain and strong winds and triggering warnings of flooding and landslides, reports BritPanorama.
Typhoon Dolphin made landfall near Yuhuan in eastern Zhejiang province at about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to China’s meteorological authorities. The storm recorded maximum sustained winds of 42 metres per second at its centre upon landfall, equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Local authorities had pre-emptively moved offshore workers to safety, ordered vessels back to port, and increased safety checks at reservoirs, mountain streams, construction sites, and landslide-prone areas.
Torrential rain and flood risk
Forecasters predict torrential rain through August 10 across Zhejiang, Shanghai, northern Fujian, northeastern Jiangxi, central and southern Anhui, and much of Jiangsu. Central and eastern Zhejiang could see 9.8-19.7 inches of rain.
After landfall, Dolphin is expected to track westward before slowing over central and southwestern China, gradually losing strength, as outlined by Wang Haiping, chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Centre, during a report on state broadcaster CCTV.
This path could prolong heavy rain and increase the risk of flooding and landslides, particularly in mountainous areas and along smaller rivers.
Widespread transport disruptions were reported across eastern China, with over 1 million people evacuated from their homes.
In Shanghai, authorities evacuated at least 30,300 individuals and cancelled approximately 1,500 flights, as noted by flight-tracking data provider VariFlight.
A 42-year-old tourist from Guangdong, surnamed Chen, described being stranded in Shanghai following the cancellation of his family’s flight originally set to depart on Sunday due to Typhoon Dolphin.
Chen mentioned they had been rebooked on a flight for 10 p.m. on Monday, expressing uncertainty about its departure status.
“To us Guangdong people, this typhoon is as ordinary as having a meal and feeling the wind. It’s just part of everyday life,” he remarked, adding that the storm did not particularly stand out by the standards of China’s southern coast.
In the neighbouring Zhejiang province, the city of Wenzhou relocated more than 900,000 residents and opened over 1,000 emergency shelters.
Authorities in Fujian evacuated 98,900 people from high-risk areas after raising the typhoon emergency response to Level III, as reported by Xinhua. Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Jiangsu have also implemented Level III emergency responses.
Fujian maritime authorities announced the suspension of 55 coastal passenger ferry routes, the halt of all 115 offshore construction projects, and the relocation of 290 construction vessels to sheltered waters.
The water resources ministry warned that the Qiantang, Yong, Jiao, and Shuiyang rivers might experience significant flooding, while smaller rivers in the hardest-hit areas could rise above hazard levels.
High risks of geological disasters in parts of Zhejiang have been reported, with residents under a red mountain-torrent warning advised to adhere to local evacuation orders.
Additionally, Shanghai’s Yangshan port cleared ships from its berths and relocated over 500 small and medium-sized vessels to shelter ahead of Dolphin, according to the city’s maritime safety administration. Scientists assert that global warming has heightened the likelihood of extreme weather events, including intensified typhoons.
