Typhoon Dolphin, the strongest tropical cyclone to strike China in 2026, made landfall near Yuhuan in Zhejiang province at around 5:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, unleashing powerful winds, torrential rain, and widespread disruption.
China’s meteorological authorities reported maximum sustained winds of 151 km/h near the storm’s centre. Ahead of landfall, more than 10 lakh people were evacuated, including 900,000 residents in Wenzhou and nearly 99,000 in Fujian province, as authorities braced for flooding, landslides, and coastal damage.
Air travel was severely disrupted. At Shanghai’s Hongqiao and Pudong airports, over 1,300 flights—nearly 60% of scheduled services—were cancelled, while Reuters reported the figure closer to 1,500 cancellations as schedules continued to adjust. Ferry and cruise services were also suspended in affected coastal areas.
Meteorologists warned that eastern China could receive 200–400 mm of rainfall, raising fears of landslides and river flooding. The storm’s inland movement has heightened risks in already vulnerable terrain.
Before reaching China, Dolphin battered Japan’s Okinawa islands, bringing sustained winds of 144 km/h and gusts up to 198 km/h, while northern Taiwan also experienced rainfall and flight cancellations due to the storm’s outer bands.
Authorities in China remain on high alert as Dolphin moves inland, with emergency teams deployed to manage flooding and ensure public safety.
