Beijing: Chinese authorities have evacuated more than one million people across eastern China, including Shanghai, after Typhoon Dolphin made landfall, bringing torrential rain and widespread disruption to transport services.
The storm was downgraded to a tropical storm after reaching the mainland, but authorities continued to warn of intense rainfall, flooding and possible landslides through August 12, as the system moves north.
Before making landfall, Chinese authorities had issued the country’s highest-level red alert for Dolphin, which was described as the strongest storm to hit China so far this year.
Strong winds and waves battered the Nanji Islands coast in Pingyang as Typhoon Dolphin neared. Despite nature's fury, local communities stayed prepared and reminded everyone: safety comes first. Stay away from the coast during storms. pic.twitter.com/bpk08Nap1N
— Explore Pingyang (@ExplorePingyang) August 10, 2026
Dolphin recorded maximum sustained winds of around 150km/h (94mph) when it struck Yuhuan in Zhejiang province at 17:30 local time on August 9, according to meteorological authorities. The storm made a second landfall around an hour later near Wenzhou.
The typhoon severely disrupted transportation across the region. Nearly 1,000 flights were cancelled in Shanghai alone on August 10, while other transport services were also affected by the storm.
Authorities forecast heavy rainfall across Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, as well as Shanghai. Parts of Zhejiang could receive between 250mm and 500mm of rain over the coming days, raising concerns about flooding and landslides.
Residents in Shanghai were urged to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary outdoor activity. Several major tourist attractions have also been closed, including sections of Disneyland and Legoland, while viewing platforms along Shanghai’s Bund were shut.
State media footage showed floodwater entering ground-floor businesses in Shanghai’s former French Concession, a popular tourist area, while residents were seen walking through ankle-deep water on flooded streets.
Chinese state media also reported that a nine-year-old boy from Wenling in Zhejiang went missing after being swept into the sea. Authorities have not officially reported any deaths linked to the storm. In Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang, authorities waived parking fees at public parking facilities for people seeking shelter from strong winds and flooding.
Wenzhou has relocated around 900,000 residents and opened more than 1,000 emergency shelters. In the nearby city of Taizhou, approximately 390,000 people have also been evacuated from their homes. In Fujian province, maritime authorities suspended dozens of passenger ferry services and stopped more than 100 offshore construction projects as a precaution against dangerous weather conditions.
According to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, Typhoon Dolphin travelled approximately 6,000 km before reaching China. The unusually long track indicates that the storm had a lifespan more than three times that of an average typhoon. CCTV also reported that the system had an exceptionally large circulation and a strong capacity to produce intense rainfall.
The storm has also triggered concerns over misinformation online. Chinese state media reported that two people were detained for allegedly spreading false or misleading information about Dolphin.
Before reaching China, Typhoon Dolphin brought torrential rainfall to the Philippines, parts of northern Taiwan and Japan’s Okinawa island before moving towards the Chinese coast.
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