Typhoon Dolphin makes landfall in China after battering Japan, prompting mass evacuations and flight cancellations

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in Zhejiang, China, on August 9, 2026, as a Category 2-equivalent storm with 162 kph winds, after injuring six people and cutting power to 50,000 buildings in Japan's Okinawa region. China issued its highest red alert, evacuating over 1 million people across eastern provinces—including 900,000 in Wenzhou alone. The storm caused massive transport disruptions, forcing the cancellation of over 1,500 flights in Shanghai and triggering severe flood and landslide warnings.

Typhoon Dolphin landfall in China

• ▪Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in the southeastern Chinese city of Yuhuan in Zhejiang province on Sunday, August 9, 2026.
• ▪Typhoon Dolphin carried maximum sustained winds of 162 kph (101 mph) as it approached the Chinese coast, equivalent to a Category 2 storm.
• ▪China's National Meteorological Centre issued its highest-level red alert for Typhoon Dolphin on the morning of Sunday, August 9, 2026.

Impact on Japan's Okinawa

• ▪Typhoon Dolphin cut power to more than 50,000 buildings in Japan, including nearly 39,000 in Kagoshima and over 12,000 in Okinawa.
• ▪Typhoon Dolphin struck Japan's southern Okinawa prefecture on Saturday, August 8, 2026, injuring six people across Okinawa and Kagoshima.

Mass evacuations across regions

• ▪Authorities in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, relocated more than 900,000 residents and opened over 1,000 emergency shelters.
• ▪Shanghai authorities evacuated more than 30,300 residents from high-risk areas ahead of Typhoon Dolphin's arrival.
• ▪Zhejiang officials evacuated approximately 390,000 people in the city of Taizhou on the evening of Saturday, August 8, 2026.
• ▪Fujian province authorities evacuated 98,900 people from high-risk areas and raised the emergency response to Level III.
• ▪Chinese authorities relocated more than 1 million people to safety across eastern China ahead of Typhoon Dolphin's landfall.

Flight cancellations at airports

• ▪Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport in Zhejiang province grounded over 500 flights on Sunday and cancelled more than 180 scheduled for Monday.
• ▪Taiwanese authorities cancelled 78 mostly international flights, and several airlines suspended flights to China on Sunday, August 9, 2026.
• ▪Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao airports cancelled approximately 1,500 flights on Sunday, August 9, 2026, representing about 60% of daily operations.
• ▪Ningbo Lishe International Airport in Zhejiang province suspended all flight operations starting late Saturday, August 8, 2026.

Flood warnings in Zhejiang

• ▪Shanghai's Yangshan port cleared its berths and moved more than 500 small and medium-sized vessels to shelter.
• ▪Forecasters predicted parts of central and eastern Zhejiang province could receive 250 to 500 mm (9.8 to 19.7 inches) of torrential rain.
• ▪China's Ministry of Water Resources warned that the Qiantang, Yong, Jiao, and Shuiyang rivers could experience major flooding.

Landslide risk areas

• ▪Chinese meteorological authorities warned of a high risk of geological disasters and landslides in mountainous areas of Zhejiang province.
• ▪Authorities ordered increased safety checks at reservoirs, mountain streams, construction sites, and tourist locations across eastern China.