China: Over 1 Million Evacuated as Typhoon Dolphin Hits Eastern Coast, Shanghai Flooded

Chinese authorities have evacuated over one million citizens from their homes in eastern China, including the financial hub of Shanghai, as Typhoon Dolphin struck the region. The powerful storm brought torrential rains and widespread transport disruptions.

In Shanghai alone, around 1,000 flights were canceled on Monday. Despite authorities downgrading Dolphin to a tropical storm, warnings remain in effect for heavy rainfall, severe flooding, and landslide risks through Wednesday as the storm tracks northward. China had previously issued a red alert, the highest warning level, for Dolphin, marking it as the strongest storm to hit the country this year.

The typhoon initially made landfall in the Yuhuan region of Zhejiang province with maximum wind gusts of 150 km/h on Sunday evening. It then struck the city of Wenzhou about an hour later. Heavy rainfall is forecast for Monday across the provinces of Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Governments have urged citizens to avoid outdoor activities, and several major tourist attractions, including parts of Disneyland and Legoland, remain closed. Viewing platforms along Shanghai's Bund are also shut.

State media footage shows flooded ground-floor businesses in Shanghai's former French concession, with residents wading through ankle-deep water. Reports indicate a nine-year-old boy from Wenling in Zhejiang is missing after being swept into the sea, though Chinese authorities have not reported any fatalities. Meteorologists predict that some areas of Zhejiang could receive 250 to 500 millimeters of rain in the coming days. In Hangzhou, Zhejiang's capital, authorities have waived parking fees in public spaces for drivers seeking shelter, while Wenzhou has relocated approximately 900,000 residents and opened over 1,000 emergency shelters. Taizhou has evacuated about 390,000 people.