Typhoon Dolphin Slams Eastern China, Forcing More Than 1 Million to Evacuate

On Aug. 9, typhoon Dolphin battered eastern China after making two landfalls in Zhejiang Province, unleashing powerful winds and torrential rain that flooded communities and disrupted transportation across the region. More than 1 million people were evacuated from areas in the storm’s path, while more than 1,000 flights were canceled in Shanghai alone as authorities braced for widespread flooding.

The storm first made landfall near Kanmen in Yuhuan, Zhejiang, at around 5:30 p.m. on Aug 9 (Sunday) as a typhoon, according to Chinese state media. Maximum sustained winds near its center reached 42 meters per second, or about 94 mph, with a central atmospheric pressure of 945 hectopascals.

Just over an hour later, at approximately 6:40 p.m., the storm made a second landfall near Wengyang in Yueqing, farther south along Zhejiang’s coast.

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Typhoon followed an unusual path

After coming ashore twice, Dolphin took an unusual turn, moving slowly southwest through the Wenzhou area before crossing Rui’an, Pingyang, and Taishun. It briefly entered neighboring Fujian Province before curving back into Zhejiang, tracing what Chinese media described as a rare arc through the province.

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Videos circulating online showed the extent of the damage, with exterior walls stripped from some high-rise buildings, underground garages inundated, and floodwaters pouring into residential buildings. In parts of Wenzhou, water rose to the level of ground-floor windows.

Heavy rainfall also pushed water levels along the Yong River system in Ningbo high enough for authorities to designate the event the “Yong River No. 1 Flood of 2026.”

By midday on Aug. 10 (Monday), the storm had weakened to a tropical storm over Jiangshan in western Zhejiang, with maximum sustained winds of about 20 meters per second, according to provincial meteorological authorities. Despite the weakening winds, the storm’s enormous moisture plume continued to pose a flooding threat farther inland.

Shanghai flooded amid travel disruptions

Authorities evacuated more than 1 million people across areas affected by the typhoon, including residents of Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Fujian. Shanghai was battered by heavy rain and strong winds as the storm moved inland. Floodwaters inundated streets in parts of the city, including the popular Wukang Road area, where the historic Wukang Mansion was surrounded by standing water.

Videos showed trees uprooted, signs blown over, and streets transformed into waterways as floodwaters approached knee level in some neighborhoods. Transportation was also severely disrupted, with more than 1,000 flights canceled in Shanghai on Aug. 10 (Monday).

Despite the typhoon weakening since making landfall, Chinese forecasters warned that the storm’s remaining moisture could bring dangerous rainfall to a broad swath of central and northern China.

Authorities issued multiple weather alerts Monday as heavy to torrential rain was forecast across at least 10 provinces and municipalities, including Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Henan, Shandong, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Fujian. They also warned that parts of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, and Hubei could receive exceptionally heavy rainfall, while isolated areas of northern Hubei were forecast to see as much as 250 to 270 millimeters (roughly 10 inches) within 24 hours.