SHANGHAI — Tropical Storm Dolphin brought torrential rain and widespread flooding to eastern China on Monday, disrupting transport and prompting authorities to evacuate more than a million people as the storm moved inland after making landfall in Zhejiang province.
Dolphin, known in China as Typhoon Baidolphin, came ashore in Taizhou, Zhejiang, with sustained winds of about 151 kph (94 mph), according to weather authorities. It weakened after landfall but continued to produce heavy rain across Zhejiang and neighboring provinces including Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong.
Shanghai was among the areas hardest hit. About 40% of flights at the city's Hongqiao and Pudong airports, or 943 flights, were cancelled on Monday, according to airport data cited by Reuters. A further 1,300 flights had been cancelled on Sunday as the storm approached.
Heavy rain caused widespread urban flooding, with some suburban districts reporting water reaching knee height. Shanghai authorities suspended some metro services and restricted non-essential operations in several districts as rainfall intensified.
In Zhejiang, more than 900,000 people were relocated in Wenzhou alone, while authorities in Fujian province moved nearly 99,000 residents from areas considered at risk, according to local authorities. Hangzhou temporarily closed tourist attractions as officials warned of flooding and landslides.
China's National Meteorological Center issued warnings over rising river levels, including for dozens of rivers in the Taihu Lake basin and eastern Zhejiang. Officials urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert to flooding and landslides as the storm's remnants moved inland.
Dolphin had formed in the western Pacific in late July and strengthened significantly before reaching China's coast. China's National Meteorological Center initially identified it as the year's 13th named typhoon, giving it the Chinese name "Baidolphin."
The storm's prolonged development and movement across the region brought several days of heavy rainfall, adding to flood risks in areas already affected by seasonal precipitation.
Authorities said Dolphin was expected to weaken further as it moved into central China, while rainfall continued across parts of the country. Forecasts called for additional heavy rain in areas including Hubei and Henan, with officials maintaining warnings for flooding and flash floods.
