Typhoon Dolphin made landfall on China’s eastern coast Sunday evening, triggering severe flooding, landslides, and mass evacuations [1, 2].
The storm represents a significant threat to one of the world's most densely populated economic hubs, disrupting critical transport infrastructure and forcing millions from their homes.
Authorities focused efforts on the Shanghai region, where the storm brought heavy rain and strong winds [4, 5]. Meteorological reports indicated rainfall levels reaching up to 400 millimetres [1]. The storm was the 13th typhoon of the 2026 season [6].
Evacuation efforts varied by report. Some data indicates that 1.6 million people faced evacuation orders [3], while other estimates suggest over one million people were evacuated [4]. Official counts from some agencies placed the number of relocated persons at around 300,000 [5].
Transportation in the region suffered extensive delays. In Shanghai, reports on flight disruptions varied, with some sources stating nearly 950 flights were grounded [4] and others reporting over 1,300 flights were cancelled [5].
Local officials said that the combination of intense precipitation and wind created high risks for landslides and flash floods — conditions that often persist even after the eye of the storm has passed.
“Typhoon Dolphin made landfall on China’s eastern coast Sunday evening”
The scale of the evacuations and the disruption to Shanghai's aviation hub highlight the vulnerability of China's coastal megacities to extreme weather. As the 13th typhoon of the season, Dolphin underscores a volatile weather pattern in 2026 that tests the limits of urban drainage systems and emergency relocation protocols in high-density regions.
