More than 1 million people in eastern China were evacuated as Typhoon Dolphin made landfall on Sunday evening, Aug. 9 [1].
This event marks the strongest tropical cyclone to hit China in 2026. The storm's intensity triggered a red-level alert, the highest warning tier, as authorities scrambled to prevent mass casualties from flooding and landslides.
The storm made landfall near Yuhuan and Sanmen in Zhejiang Province before extending toward Fujian Province [3, 4]. At the time of landfall, the typhoon brought maximum sustained wind speeds of about 150 km/h [3].
Government agencies ordered the mass evacuation of over 1 million residents to secure shelters [1]. The red-level alert also led to significant disruptions in transportation across the region. More than 1,000 flights were cancelled as the storm approached the coast [3].
Meteorologists forecast heavy precipitation accompanying the system. Rainfall totals are expected to reach up to 500 millimetres [3]. Local officials said this volume of water creates a high risk of landslides, and severe urban flooding in coastal provinces.
Rail services were also cancelled in affected areas to ensure passenger safety. The storm's path across eastern China has forced a total shutdown of several key transport hubs, a necessary measure given the wind speeds recorded during the landfall.
“More than 1 million people in eastern China were evacuated.”
The scale of the evacuation and the issuance of a red-level alert underscore the vulnerability of China's eastern coastal infrastructure to intensifying tropical cyclones. By prioritizing preemptive mass movement and transport shutdowns, authorities aim to mitigate the death toll associated with the high-volume rainfall and wind speeds characteristic of the year's strongest storm.
