Typhoon Dolphin Makes Landfall in China as Strongest Storm This Year

Typhoon Dolphin, the most powerful tropical cyclone to hit China this year, has made landfall on the country's east coast, bringing torrential rain and strong winds. The storm's arrival prompted widespread warnings of flooding and landslides, particularly in vulnerable mountainous areas and along smaller rivers.

Dolphin made landfall near Yuhuan in Zhejiang province on Sunday evening, with maximum sustained winds of 94 mph (151 km/h) near its center. This intensity is equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The typhoon had previously passed through Japan's southern Okinawa prefecture, where it injured six people and caused power outages for over 50,000 buildings.

In response to the threat, authorities have taken significant precautionary measures. At least 30,300 people were evacuated in Shanghai, which also saw approximately 1,500 flights canceled. Across eastern China, transport has been widely disrupted, and more than a million people have been evacuated from their homes. Safety protocols included moving offshore workers to safety, ordering vessels back to port, and intensifying checks on reservoirs, mountain streams, landslide-prone areas, construction sites, and tourist locations.

Forecasters predict heavy rain across Zhejiang, Shanghai, northern Fujian, and parts of several other provinces on Monday. Some areas in central and eastern Zhejiang could receive between 250-500 mm (10-20 inches) of rain. While the typhoon is expected to weaken as it moves inland, the prolonged heavy rainfall increases the risk of severe flooding and landslides. A tourist from Guangdong described the typhoon as ordinary for China's southern coast, suggesting a high level of preparedness and resilience to such events in the region.

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To us Guangdong people, this typhoon is as ordinary as having a meal and feeling the wind. It’s just part of everyday life.