China Evacuates More Than 1 Mln As Typhoon Dolphin Disrupts East

August 11, 2026
By Mintesinot Nigussie

More than one million people have been moved from their homes across eastern China as Typhoon Dolphin disrupted transport, dumped heavy rain and threatened further flooding and landslides. The storm has already caused extensive disruption in Zhejiang province, where about 900,000 people were relocated in Wenzhou and another 390,000 evacuated in Taizhou. More than 1,000 emergency shelters have been opened in Wenzhou, while Hangzhou authorities have waived public parking fees for residents seeking shelter from the storm.

Shanghai, China’s financial centre, cancelled nearly 1,000 flights on Monday as the typhoon affected transport across the region. Dolphin was downgraded to a tropical storm after making landfall but authorities continued to warn of torrential rain, flooding and landslides through Wednesday as the system moves north.

The storm made its first landfall in Yuhuan, in Zhejiang province, at 5:30pm local time on Sunday with maximum winds of 150 kilometres per hour, before striking Wenzhou about an hour later, according to meteorological authorities. The storm had prompted China to issue its highest-level red alert and was described by authorities as the strongest storm to hit the country this year.

Forecasts indicate that parts of Zhejiang could receive between 250 millimetres and 500 millimetres of rain over the next several days. Heavy rain was also forecast for Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, as well as Shanghai. The disruption has extended to coastal activity. In Fujian province, maritime authorities suspended dozens of passenger ferry routes and halted more than 100 offshore construction projects.

Chinese state media reported that a nine-year-old boy from Wenling in Zhejiang was missing after being swept into the sea. Authorities had not reported any deaths. Dolphin travelled about 6,000 kilometres before reaching China, giving the system an unusually long lifespan of more than three times that of an average typhoon.

Source: FSX Business News