FUZHOU, CHINA / RankWire.AI / – As severe weather conditions swept across eastern China, Typhoon Dolphin prompted approximately 167,900 residents to evacuate from vulnerable regions within Fujian Province. Authorities had completed the evacuation operations in Fujian by 7 a.m. Monday, evacuating communities along the coast and inland areas prone to flooding and strong winds. Separately, Shanghai relocated about 215,600 residents from high-risk locations by late Sunday. Dolphin initially impacted neighboring Zhejiang Province before progressing inland and gradually weakening over central China.
In response to the storm, officials in Fujian halted 686 passenger routes and 658 train services, as the weather disrupted travel throughout the province. Additionally, 234 major tourist sites were shut down, and numerous cultural and tourism events were canceled. Shanghai experienced widespread transportation disruptions, with over 900 flights canceled at its two primary airports on Monday. Floodwaters impacted several city districts, and public transportation services were interrupted as persistent heavy rain continued across the Yangtze River Delta and adjacent coastal regions.
Dolphin became the 13th typhoon to affect China in 2026, arriving in Zhejiang on Sunday with intense winds. The storm made landfall near Yuhuan in Taizhou around 5:30 p.m., with local measurements indicating maximum sustained winds of approximately 42 meters per second, equivalent to roughly 151 kilometers per hour. Afterward, Dolphin made a second landfall in Zhejiang before moving further inland, with its broad circulation bringing heavy rainfall into Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, and neighboring provinces.
Dolphin progresses inland following coastal impact
By 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dolphin had reached Huanggang in Hubei Province, where it had weakened to a tropical-storm intensity. The National Meteorological Center maintained a blue typhoon warning as the storm continued its west-northwest trajectory. Wind speeds near the storm’s center had decreased to 18 meters per second, with the central pressure recorded at 995 hectopascals. Moving at approximately 15 kilometers per hour, Dolphin’s rainbands persisted, affecting large areas beyond its initial landfall zone.
In response, China expanded its flood mitigation efforts as rainfall shifted towards the central and northern regions, activating a Level IV flood emergency response for Hubei, Henan, Hebei, and Shandong. Meanwhile, Zhejiang maintained a Level III response due to ongoing risks from river flooding and rising water levels. Central authorities allocated 120 million yuan to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, and Jiangxi for rescue operations, temporary shelters, hazard removal, safety inspections, and repairs to homes damaged by the storm.
Intense rainfall and danger of flooding persist across multiple regions
Forecasts from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday indicate that heavy rain will continue to affect eastern, central, and northern China. Regions such as Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Shandong, and Hebei are among the areas expected to experience significant rainfall. Beijing and Tianjin are also forecast to face periods of heavy precipitation, with totals reaching between 250 and 350 millimeters in parts of southwestern Shandong and central and eastern Henan. Meanwhile, strong winds persisted along the eastern coast, adjacent seas, the Yangtze River estuary, and Hangzhou Bay.
Authorities continued monitoring rivers, mountain districts, and low-lying communities as Dolphin moved further inland. The reported evacuations, totaling 167,900, are specific to Fujian Province and do not encompass the entire eastern China region. Shanghai had more than 215,000 residents evacuated as a precaution, and Zhejiang also moved large groups of residents prior to the storm’s landfall. By Tuesday morning, Dolphin had diminished much of its coastal strength, but its residual circulation still brought heavy rain across multiple provinces in central and eastern China.