Typhoon Dolphin, the year’s most powerful storm, is battering China’s eastern coast, prompting the highest ‘Red Alert’. With winds of 162 km/h, it has caused massive transport disruption, including thousands of cancelled flights and suspended trains
China is on high alert for Typhoon Dolphin, which is being called the most powerful tropical storm of the year. The typhoon has already started battering China’s eastern coast. It is expected to make landfall with wind speeds of around 162 km/h, threatening to cause massive disruption to transport and daily life. China’s weather agency has issued a ‘Red Alert’—the highest level of warning. There are fears that Typhoon Dolphin could leave a trail of destruction across parts of the country by Tuesday.
Thousands of Flights Cancelled, Transport Halted
The storm’s impact is being felt most in Shanghai, China’s financial hub, and the neighbouring provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian. Shanghai’s two main airports, Pudong and Hongqiao, have cancelled nearly 1,384 flights. Across the region, the total number of cancelled flights has crossed 1,600. On Sunday, about 60% of all scheduled flights at Shanghai’s airports had to be cancelled. In Zhejiang province, Hangzhou airport also announced the cancellation of over 270 flights.
Major Impact on All Transport
It’s not just air travel; all transport services in eastern China have come to a standstill. Railway authorities have temporarily suspended train services across Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Fujian. All commercial activities at sea have been stopped, and more than 200 ferry routes are closed. Port authorities have been forced to move all ships from Shanghai’s key Yangshan Port and the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port to safer locations.
Over One Million People Moved to Safety
To protect people from the storm’s fury, authorities have launched a massive evacuation drive. More than one million people have been moved from high-risk coastal areas to safe shelters. From the city of Taizhou in Zhejiang province alone, around 3,90,000 residents were evacuated. In Shanghai, about 30,000 people were moved from vulnerable areas. Rescue teams also shifted nearly 99,000 people to safer places in Fujian province. Fishermen have been banned from going to sea, and all fishing boats have been ordered back to port.
Fears of Heavy Rain and Landslides
Weather experts are forecasting that after hitting the coast, Typhoon Dolphin could bring torrential rain of 200 to 400 mm over the next few days. This has created a serious risk of severe flooding and major landslides, especially in hilly areas. An emergency has already been declared in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces.
Typhoon Dolphin’s Trail of Damage in Japan
Before heading to China, Typhoon Dolphin had already caused chaos on Japan’s Okinawa island. Several people were injured in the violent storm, and over 50,000 homes were left without electricity. While the typhoon is expected to lose some of its intensity as it moves inland over China, the threat of long-lasting floods is causing major concern.