Typhoon Dolphin made landfall on the eastern coast of China on Sunday evening, bringing torrential rain and severe flooding to Shanghai [1, 2].
The storm is the most powerful tropical cyclone to strike the country this year, disrupting critical infrastructure and forcing hundreds of thousands of residents from their homes [1, 3].
Max Kim of The New York Times said the storm is the strongest to hit China this year [3]. The system packed maximum sustained winds of more than 90 mph [4] near its center at the time of landfall before it eventually weakened into a tropical storm [4].
In Shanghai, the impact was immediate. Local authorities relocated 300,000 people [5] to safety as water flooded the streets. The aviation sector faced significant disruption, with 1,300 flights canceled in Shanghai [5], and hundreds of additional flights grounded across eastern China [2].
While most reports describe a single landfall on the eastern coast [1, 3], some reports indicate the storm may have made two landfalls in the region [6]. The storm's passage has left surrounding provinces grappling with the aftermath of extreme rainfall and wind damage.
Emergency measures remained in effect through Monday as crews worked to clear debris and restore services in the affected coastal cities. The scale of the evacuations underscores the severity of the red alerts issued prior to the storm's arrival [6].
“The storm... is the strongest to hit China this year.”
The intensity of Typhoon Dolphin highlights the increasing vulnerability of China's coastal megacities to extreme weather. The massive scale of flight cancellations and the relocation of 300,000 people demonstrate the high economic and logistical cost of protecting dense urban populations from the strongest storms of the year.
