Typhoon Dolphin strikes eastern China, over a million evacuated

Typhoon Dolphin, the most powerful tropical cyclone to strike China this year, has made landfall on the country's eastern coast, bringing severe weather conditions. The storm hit near Yuhuan in Zhejiang province on Sunday evening, packing maximum sustained winds of 151 km/h (93 mph).

Authorities have implemented extensive evacuation measures, relocating over one million people from affected areas. In Shanghai, at least 30,300 residents were evacuated, and approximately 1,400 flights were canceled. Zhejiang province saw even larger-scale evacuations, with the city of Wenzhou relocating over 900,000 residents and Taizhou evacuating about 390,000 people by Saturday evening. Fujian province also evacuated nearly 99,000 people from high-risk zones.

The typhoon is expected to cause severe flooding and landslides as it moves inland, with forecasts predicting heavy rainfall of 250mm to 500mm in parts of Zhejiang. Several rivers, including the Qiantang and Yong, are at risk of major flooding. Authorities have also warned of a high risk of geological disasters in mountainous areas.

Transport services have been significantly disrupted across the region. The storm had previously passed through Japan's Okinawa prefecture over the weekend, causing minor injuries and power outages for tens of thousands of buildings. Dolphin is forecast to weaken as it moves westward over central and southwestern China, but its slower pace could prolong the threat of heavy rainfall and associated risks.