Eastern China is hit by Tropical Storm Dolphin, which brings high gusts and a lot of rain

Authorities have warned of serious flooding and landslides as Tropical Storm Dolphin has raced over eastern China, bringing with it storms and torrential rain. With maximum sustained winds of 151 km/h (94 mph), Dolphin made landfall in Yuhuan, Zhejiang province, late on Sunday as a typhoon, triggering China’s highest weather alert.

According to an official statement on the Chinese government’s website, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a “red alert – the highest level in the country’s typhoon warning system” as Dolphin approached, prompting the evacuation of over a million people.

The typhoon continued to deluge the eastern provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shandong on Monday, but as it travelled inland and lost strength, it collapsed into a tropical storm.

Zhejiang, Shanghai, northern Fujian, northeastern Jiangxi, central and southern Anhui, and a large portion of Jiangsu were all expected to see torrential rain thru August 10. Forecasters predict 250–500 mm (9.8–19.7 inches) of rain in some areas of central and eastern Zhejiang.

The typhoon caused 943 flights to be cancelled at Shanghai’s two airports, lowering capacity by over 40%, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Residents were advised by authorities to work from home and stay indoors whenever feasible. According to local media, search and rescue personnel in Wenling, Zhejiang, were looking for a nine-year-old child who was carried into the sea during the storm.

According to state media, approximately 100,000 people were evacuated in Shanghai, another 99,000 in the nearby province of Fujian, and more than 900,000 in the city of Wenzhou alone. Dolphin, the strongest typhoon to hit China this year, is expected to carry precipitation north and move farther interior to the central provinces of Hubei and Henan in the following days.

Beijing’s authorities said the city was ready to initiate its flood management response on Tuesday morning and issued warnings for heavy rain. From Tuesday thru Thursday, Beijing is predicted to see “significant rainfall,” and authorities have issued a warning about the possibility of landslides in the nearby hilly areas and flash floods in the metropolis.