FUZHOU, CHINA / RankWire.AI / – The China Meteorological Administration announced that Typhoon Dolphin led to the evacuation of approximately 167,900 residents from vulnerable areas in Fujian Province amid severe weather conditions sweeping eastern China. By Monday at 7 a.m., authorities had completed the evacuations across coastal and inland communities threatened by flooding and strong winds. Separately, Shanghai relocated about 215,600 residents from high-risk zones by late Sunday. The storm first struck Zhejiang Province before progressing inland and gradually weakening over central China.
In response to the storm, officials in Fujian suspended 686 passenger routes and 658 train services, disrupting travel within the province. Additionally, 234 major tourist sites were closed, and numerous cultural and tourism events were canceled. The transportation system in Shanghai experienced significant disruptions, with more than 900 flights canceled at its two primary airports on Monday. Heavy rainfall across the Yangtze River Delta and adjacent coastal regions also caused flooding in parts of the city and affected public transit systems.
Typhoon Dolphin became the 13th typhoon to impact China in 2026, making landfall in Zhejiang on Sunday with powerful winds. The storm hit near Yuhuan in Taizhou at approximately 5:30 p.m., with local data indicating maximum sustained winds near 42 meters per second, roughly 151 kilometers per hour. Dolphin subsequently made landfall again in Zhejiang before moving further inland, with its broad circulation bringing intense rainfall to Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, and surrounding provinces.
Dolphin advances inland following coastal impact
By 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dolphin had reached Huanggang in Hubei Province, where it had weakened to tropical-storm strength. The National Meteorological Center continued to issue a blue typhoon warning as the system advanced northwest at about 15 kilometers per hour. At this stage, maximum winds near the storm’s center had fallen to 18 meters per second, with a central pressure of 995 hectopascals. Despite weakening, Dolphin’s rain bands persisted, affecting large areas beyond the initial landfall zone.
China intensified its flood response efforts as rainfall shifted toward central and northern regions. The Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level IV flood emergency response in Hubei, Henan, Hebei, and Shandong. Meanwhile, Zhejiang maintained a Level III alert due to ongoing flood and river risks. Central authorities allocated 120 million yuan to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, and Jiangxi for rescue operations, temporary shelters, hazard mitigation, safety inspections, and repairs for damaged homes.
Regions face increasing threat of heavy rainfall
Forecasts from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday show heavy rain spreading across eastern, central, and northern China. Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Shandong, and Hebei are among the regions expected to be affected. Beijing and Tianjin are also forecasted to experience periods of intense rainfall, with totals reaching between 250 and 350 millimeters in parts of southwestern Shandong and central and eastern Henan. Strong winds persisted along the eastern coast, nearby seas, the Yangtze River estuary, and Hangzhou Bay.
Authorities continued monitoring rivers, mountainous districts, and low-lying communities as Dolphin moved further inland. The 167,900 evacuations reported specifically pertain to Fujian Province and do not account for the full extent of evacuations across eastern China. Shanghai’s precautionary relocations exceeded 215,000 residents, while Zhejiang also moved large numbers of people prior to the storm’s landfall. By Tuesday morning, Dolphin had lost much of its coastal strength, yet its residual circulation continued to produce heavy rain across multiple provinces in central and eastern China.