FUZHOU, CHINA / RankWire.AI / – Heavy rainfall and flooding caused by Typhoon Dolphin prompted the evacuation of approximately 167,900 residents in Fujian Province, as the storm’s influence extended across eastern China. The figure for Fujian accounts for residents relocated from vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas by 7 a.m. Monday. Separately, Shanghai evacuated around 215,600 people from regions deemed at risk by late Sunday. Dolphin first made landfall in Zhejiang Province on Sunday, making two separate landfalls before heading inland and gradually losing strength.
During the storm, authorities in Fujian suspended 686 passenger routes and halted 658 train services. Additionally, 234 major tourist sites were closed, and numerous cultural and tourism events were canceled. In Shanghai, more than 900 flights at the city’s two main airports were canceled on Monday due to the storm. Heavy rains led to flooding in parts of the financial hub and disrupted public transportation systems. These measures followed widespread weather alerts issued across coastal regions exposed to Dolphin’s strong winds and heavy rain.
Dolphin, the 13th typhoon of 2026, reached Zhejiang with intense winds on Sunday. It made landfall near Yuhuan in Taizhou around 5:30 p.m., with maximum sustained winds of 42 meters per second, equivalent to approximately 151 kilometers per hour. The storm then made another landfall in Zhejiang before continuing inland. Its broad circulation brought heavy rainfall across Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, and other parts of eastern China as the storm 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 and maintained a blue typhoon warning. Its outer circulation carried maximum winds of 18 meters per second, while the central pressure was measured at 995 hectopascals. Moving west-northwest at roughly 15 kilometers per hour, the storm continued to produce heavy rainfall across several provinces well beyond its initial coastal landfall zone.
On Monday, the Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level IV flood emergency response for Hubei, Henan, Hebei, and Shandong provinces. Zhejiang maintained a Level III response while authorities monitored rivers and areas susceptible to flash floods. Central government funds totaling 120 million yuan were allocated to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, and Jiangxi to support rescue operations, temporary shelters, hazard mitigation, safety inspections, and repairs to flood-affected homes.
Flood Management Efforts Expand Inland
Forecasts for Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday predicted heavy rainfall across a wide region of eastern and central China. Areas expected to be affected include Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Shandong, and Hebei, with Beijing and Tianjin also remaining within the heavy-rain zone. The forecast indicated rainfall amounts reaching 250 to 350 millimeters in parts of southwestern Shandong and central and eastern Henan. Strong winds persisted along sections of the eastern coast, nearby seas, the Yangtze River estuary, and Hangzhou Bay.
Authorities continued to monitor smaller rivers, mountain regions, and vulnerable communities as Dolphin moved further inland. The evacuation total of 167,900 residents pertains specifically to Fujian Province, not the entire eastern China region. Shanghai reported an additional 215,600 evacuations, with Zhejiang conducting large-scale relocations before the storm reached the coast. By Tuesday morning, Dolphin had significantly weakened from its Zhejiang landfall strength, yet its circulation still caused heavy rainfall across central and eastern China.