More than one million people have been forced from their homes across eastern China after Typhoon Dolphin made landfall. The storm unleashed torrential rain, flooding and widespread travel disruption.
According to BBC, the powerful storm struck Zhejiang province on Sunday before pushing northwards, affecting Shanghai and several other regions. Nearly 1,000 flights were cancelled in Shanghai on Monday as authorities warned residents to remain indoors.
Dolphin was initially classified as the strongest storm to hit China this year. Winds reached about 150 kilometres per hour when it first struck Yuhuan at around 5:30 p.m.
It made a second landfall in Wenzhou roughly an hour later.
Typhoon Dolphin China evacuations exceed one million
Authorities in Wenzhou relocated about 900,000 people and opened more than 1,000 emergency shelters as the storm approached.
Another 390,000 residents were evacuated in Taizhou, while communities elsewhere in Zhejiang also prepared for severe flooding.
Although Dolphin has since weakened into a tropical storm, officials warned that the danger was far from over.
Heavy rain is expected to continue through Wednesday, raising fears of landslides, flash floods and further damage.
Some parts of Zhejiang could receive between 250mm and 500mm of rain over the coming days.
Shanghai hit by flooding, flight cancellations
Shanghai was among the areas heavily disrupted by the storm.
Nearly 1,000 flights were cancelled on Monday, while several tourist attractions were shut as a precaution.
Parts of Disneyland and Legoland were closed, along with some viewing areas around the Bund.
State media footage showed businesses on the ground floors of buildings flooded in Shanghai’s former French Concession. Meanwhile, residents were seen walking through ankle-deep water.
Authorities urged people to avoid unnecessary outdoor movement as the rainfall continued.
Nine-year-old boy reported missing
Chinese state media also reported that a nine-year-old boy from Wenling in Zhejiang was missing after being swept into the sea.
No deaths had been officially confirmed by authorities at the time of reporting.
In Hangzhou, officials waived parking fees at public facilities to allow motorists to move vehicles into safer areas away from strong winds and floodwaters.
Maritime activities were also disrupted in neighbouring Fujian province. There, dozens of passenger ferry services were suspended. Additionally, more than 100 offshore construction projects were halted.
Storm travelled 6,000km before reaching China
China’s state broadcaster CCTV said Dolphin travelled about 6,000 kilometres before making landfall.
The broadcaster described the storm as unusually long-lived. It said its lifespan was more than three times that of an average typhoon.
It also reported that Dolphin had an exceptionally wide circulation. Furthermore, the storm had the capacity to produce intense rainfall over a large area.
Before reaching mainland China, the storm had already brought heavy rain to the Philippines, northern Taiwan and Japan’s Okinawa island.
Authorities crack down on storm misinformation
Chinese authorities have also moved against misinformation linked to the storm.
State media reported that two people were detained after allegedly posting misleading content online.
One of them, a 60-year-old man, was accused of using artificial intelligence to create a fake video. The video claimed a person had fallen from a building in Shanghai during the storm.
Another man, aged 32, was accused of editing existing storm footage in a misleading manner.
As Dolphin continues moving north, officials are maintaining warnings across several provinces. Authorities are particularly concerned about prolonged rainfall, flooding and landslides even as the storm loses strength.
