Typhoon Dolphin batters China, over 1 million evacuated as Shanghai sees record rain

More than a million people were evacuated across eastern China as Typhoon Dolphin brought torrential rain, strong winds and the threat of flooding and landslides to several provinces. The storm made landfall before weakening as it moved inland, but authorities continued to warn of heavy rainfall through Wednesday.

Shanghai records historic rainfall

Shanghai saw some of the heaviest rain in more than a century. A weather station in central Shanghai recorded nearly 313 mm of rain in the 24 hours to 7 am on Monday, marking its highest 24-hour rainfall in more than 150 years of records. Another station recorded close to 400 mm.

Videos of flooded streets circulated widely on Chinese social media, with the hashtag “Shanghai turns into the sea” trending on Weibo. The flooding was also reported around Wukang Mansion, a well-known landmark in the city.

By Sunday evening, around 2,15,600 people had been moved from areas considered at risk in Shanghai, reported The Guardian.

More than 9,00,000 moved in Zhejiang

Wenzhou, in Zhejiang province, relocated more than 9,00,000 people and opened over 1,500 emergency shelters. In neighbouring Fujian, another 98,900 people were evacuated from vulnerable areas.

Rainfall across Zhejiang averaged 173 mm between Friday evening and Monday morning, reportedly exceeding levels recorded during earlier major typhoons, including Lekima and Bavi.

Although Dolphin weakened to a tropical storm by Monday morning, authorities warned that its remnants could continue to produce intense rain across eastern and central China.

Forecasters said some areas could receive between 200 mm and 400 mm of rain in the coming days. An orange alert remained in place, with officials warning that prolonged downpours could trigger flooding and landslides.

Flights, transport disrupted

The storm disrupted travel in Shanghai, where more than 1,300 flights were cancelled at the city's two airports. Several public transport services, including local trains, were also suspended.

In Zhejiang, Ningbo International Airport planned to resume operations from Monday afternoon, although passengers were warned of possible delays and cancellations. Hangzhou resumed subway services after some operations were halted on Sunday.

The storm also affected other parts of East Asia. Taiwan cancelled more than 180 flights and suspended ferry services, while six people were injured in Japan's Okinawa prefecture and power was cut to more than 50,000 buildings. In the Philippines, Dolphin intensified seasonal monsoon rains, causing flooding in northern areas.