China on High Alert as Typhoon Dolphin Makes Landfall in Eastern Province

China's eastern coast is on high alert as Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in Zhejiang province, prompting authorities to issue the highest level red alert and order the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents. The storm arrived Sunday afternoon between the cities of Wenzhou and Wenling, packing winds of 140 kilometers per hour and bringing with it the threat of "extremely torrential" rainfall.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) had previously issued strong wind alerts across eastern China, with a particular focus on the Yangtze River estuary. Torrential rain warnings were in effect for Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, as well as the eastern megalopolis of Shanghai and the neighboring regions of Jianxi and Anhui. Some areas in central and eastern Zhejiang are bracing for rainfall between 250 and 500 millimeters.

Despite the typhoon weakening to a tropical storm as it moves inland, officials caution that the impact is far from over. The NMC predicts that northern regions, including Beijing, will experience heavy precipitation in the coming days. This comes as China grapples with a summer already marked by severe weather, including torrential rains, floods, and landslides that have caused numerous fatalities and forced hundreds of thousands to evacuate in various provinces.

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the arrival to land and subsequent weakening of the typhoon does not mean the impact has ended

Preparations have been extensive. In Fujian province, nearly 99,000 people were relocated by Saturday afternoon. Ferry services have been canceled, and fishing boats have returned to port. Shanghai, already experiencing strong winds and heavy rains that have caused localized flooding, planned to relocate approximately 103,000 residents, with hundreds of temporary shelters prepared. The city's transportation network has been severely disrupted, with hundreds of flights canceled and subway operations restricted. Other regional airports and parts of the national railway system have also been affected.

In Zhejiang, where the provincial government also declared its highest alert level, authorities are considering suspending outdoor group activities, classes, and even work and transportation. Teams have been deployed to monitor flood and landslide risks in affected areas. The NMC's chief forecaster, Xu Yinglong, noted that Dolphin, the year's thirteenth typhoon, could bring stronger winds and heavier rain than Typhoon Bavi, which struck in July. The typhoon had previously crossed Japan's Ryukyu Islands on Friday.

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Dolphin could bring stronger winds and more intense rains than Bavi, which hit in July