Typhoon Dolphin Nears China Coast After Hitting Japan

Typhoon Dolphin is poised to make landfall on China's eastern coast late Sunday or early Monday, prompting the country's highest storm alert and widespread travel disruptions after battering Japan's Okinawa island. The storm, which brought destructive winds and heavy rain to southern Japan, is now threatening a densely populated region that serves as a critical hub for global trade and shipping.

China's National Meteorological Centre issued a red typhoon alert on Sunday morning, its most severe warning, as Dolphin approached with maximum sustained winds estimated at about 162 kilometers per hour. The agency forecast "extraordinary torrential rain" in parts of Zhejiang province, with heavy precipitation expected across a wide swath of eastern China through Wednesday. The storm is forecast to make landfall between Zhoushan in Zhejiang and Fuding in Fujian province.

The preparations have been extensive. Nearly 100,000 people were relocated from risky areas in Fujian province by Saturday evening. In Shanghai, authorities halted all ferry services and suspended operations at the city's two main airports, cancelling nearly 1,400 flights. Hangzhou's airport in Zhejiang also cancelled...