'Dolphin' Hits China: Over 1,300 Flights Cancelled in Shanghai, Hundreds of Thousands Evacuated

Shanghai’s two airports canceled more than 1,300 flights as Chinese authorities evacuated hundreds of thousands of residents in threatened areas, with the country bracing for the arrival of Typhoon Dolphin on its eastern coast, after the storm’s outer bands brought heavy rain to northern Taiwan.

On Saturday, the typhoon’s outer bands struck northern Taiwan, including the capital, Taipei, causing heavy rainfall, while some Taiwanese airlines canceled flights bound for China.

By Sunday morning, the typhoon’s maximum sustained wind speeds reached approximately 162 kilometers per hour, amid warnings of flood and landslide risks, with forecasts indicating it would make landfall in Zhejiang Province and parts of northern Fujian later on Sunday.

Government agencies

Political analysis

News

Meteorologists predicted rainfall of 200 to 400 millimeters in some areas over the coming days, while authorities issued warnings of heightened landslide risks in Zhejiang.

Shanghai’s Hongqiao and Pudong airports canceled about 60 percent of their scheduled Sunday flights, pushing the total number of canceled flights beyond 1,300.

In Zhejiang, authorities evacuated around 390,000 people in Taizhou city, while more than 30,000 people were relocated from high-risk areas in Shanghai, as wide-ranging precautionary measures were taken to mitigate the typhoon’s impacts.

Authorities in Zhejiang also suspended water-based activities, including ferry services and marine cruises, as part of safety measures ahead of the typhoon’s approach to the coast.