Typhoon Dolphin makes landfall in China; trains, ferries, flights disrupted and red alert issued

A red alert was issued by the China Meteorological Administration, the second time this year after Typhoon Noul in late July.

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in eastern China on Sunday evening after Beijing issued its highest storm alert, with more than 1,000 flights canceled and some rail services suspended as well.

People wade through a flooded street after Typhoon Dolphin brought heavy rain to Shanghai, China. (Reuters)

The storm touched down at 17:30 local time on the coast of Taizhou in eastern Zhejiang province, with the maximum wind force near the center at 42 meters per second (94 mph), according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Earlier in the day, the meteorological authority issued a red alert, only the second time this year Beijing has issued the warning after Typhoon Noul in late July.

Flights, ferries and trains disrupted

Shanghai’s two main airports have halted a total of 1,384 flights, while Hangzhou suspended over 300, China Central Television reported on Sunday. That follows cancellations by Ningbo Lishe International Airport starting late Saturday night.

Shanghai, which neighbors Zhejiang province, halted ferry services, closed some subway lines and long-distance bus services, and relocated over 100,000 people, according to local media reports and official announcements. The typhoon has already forced over 390,000 people in Taizhou to evacuate, according to state media.

Extreme weather in China this summer has led to a significant number of deaths and huge economic losses. Vast parts of the Asian nation have been drenched by heavy rain since early July, leading to flash flooding and crop damage. President Xi Jinping in July urged “all-out” disaster prevention and relief efforts after deadly storms hit parts of the country.

Rail operators suspended some train services in parts of the Yangtze River Delta region from Sunday, with certain route disruptions set to continue through Thursday, according to China Railway Shanghai Group. The moves come after major ports near Shanghai, including Zhoushan — China’s largest refueling hub for ships — halted operations.

The meteorological authority also forecast heavy to torrential rains from Sunday to Wednesday in a wide swath of regions including Fujian, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Hebei, Beijing and Tianjin.