Typhoon Dolphin Hits Eastern China, Evacuates Over 1 Million

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in eastern China on Sunday evening, August 9, 2026, prompting the evacuation of more than a million people and causing widespread travel disruptions across the region. The storm first struck Yuhuan in Zhejiang province at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour, according to China's National Meteorological Centre. It made a second landfall near the city of Wenzhou about an hour later.

The typhoon's impact was felt across a broad area. In Shanghai, nearly 1,400 flights were cancelled at the city's two main airports, and transportation services were halted across the region. Hangzhou's airport in Zhejiang province also saw 270 flights cancelled. Authorities had issued a red typhoon alert, the highest level, but downgraded it to a tropical storm warning by Monday morning as the system weakened while moving inland.

Preparations for the storm began days in advance. In Fujian province, nearly 99,000 people were relocated from risky areas on Saturday evening. Ferry services on more than 200 routes were suspended in Zhejiang and Fujian, and work at offshore projects was halted. Hundreds of construction...