FUZHOU, CHINA / RankWire.AI / – As heavy rainfall and flooding spread across eastern China, Typhoon Dolphin prompted the evacuation of approximately 167,900 residents in Fujian Province. By 7 a.m. Monday, those in vulnerable land and coastal zones had been relocated. Meanwhile, Shanghai had also evacuated roughly 215,600 individuals from areas deemed at risk by late Sunday. Dolphin made landfall twice in Zhejiang Province on Sunday before moving inland, gradually weakening in strength.
During the storm response, authorities in Fujian shut down 686 passenger routes and 658 train services. Additionally, 234 major tourist sites were closed, and numerous cultural and tourism events were canceled. In Shanghai, airlines canceled over 900 flights at the city’s two main airports on Monday. The heavy rainfall caused flooding in parts of the financial hub and disrupted public transit. These measures were implemented in response to widespread weather alerts issued across coastal regions exposed to Dolphin’s winds and rain.
Dolphin, recognized as the 13th typhoon of 2026, struck Zhejiang with strong winds on Sunday, making landfall near Yuhuan in Taizhou at approximately 5:30 p.m., with maximum wind speeds of 42 meters per second, equivalent to about 151 kilometers per hour. The storm made a second landfall in Zhejiang before continuing inland, its broad circulation bringing heavy rainfall to Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, and other eastern areas of China as it gradually weakened.
Storm loses strength following Zhejiang landfalls
By 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dolphin’s center had reached Huanggang in Hubei Province, central China. The National Meteorological Center classified the system as a tropical storm, maintaining a blue typhoon warning. Its outer circulation carried maximum winds of 18 meters per second, with a central pressure of 995 hectopascals. The storm was traveling west-northwest at approximately 15 kilometers per hour. Heavy rain persisted across several provinces well beyond Dolphin’s initial coastal landfall zone.
On Monday, the Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level IV flood emergency response for Hubei, Henan, Hebei, and Shandong, while maintaining a Level III alert in Zhejiang to monitor river levels and flash flood-prone areas. Central government funds totaling 120 million yuan were allocated to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, and Jiangxi. These funds support rescue operations, temporary shelters, hazard mitigation, safety inspections, and repairs to homes affected by flooding and the typhoon.
Extended inland flood response measures
Forecasts for Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday indicate heavy rain across a broad region of eastern and central China. Areas affected include Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Shandong, and Hebei, with Beijing and Tianjin also within the heavy-rain zone. Predicted rainfall ranged from 250 to 350 millimeters in parts of southwestern Shandong and central and eastern Henan. Strong winds persisted along sections of the eastern coast, adjacent seas, the Yangtze River estuary, and Hangzhou Bay.
Authorities continued monitoring smaller rivers, mountain regions, and communities vulnerable to flooding as Dolphin advanced further inland. The 167,900 evacuations reported are specific to Fujian Province, not the entire eastern China region. Shanghai reported an additional 215,600 evacuations, while Zhejiang carried out extensive relocations before the storm reached the coast. By Tuesday morning, Dolphin’s strength had significantly diminished since its Zhejiang landfall, yet its circulation still caused heavy rainfall across central and eastern China.