Typhoon Dolphin Forces 1 Million Evacuations in China
- Over 1 million people evacuated from eastern China
- 1,400 flights cancelled at Shanghai airports
- Record rainfall dumped on Shanghai metropolitan area
- Year's strongest typhoon hits Chinese coast
- July floods killed 39 in southern China
Authorities grounded more than 1,400 flights at Shanghai's two international airports on Monday as Typhoon Dolphin, the most powerful storm to hit China this year, slammed into the eastern coast.
The storm made landfall in the early hours, bringing with it ferocious winds and record-breaking rainfall that have paralysed the country's financial hub.
Officials suspended operations at Pudong and Hongqiao airports, leaving thousands of passengers stranded as the city activated its highest level of emergency response.
The cancellation of 1,400 flights represents a massive disruption to regional and global travel, forcing airlines to halt all inbound and outbound traffic until the weather system passes.
Meteorological agencies reported that the typhoon intensified rapidly overnight, catching many residents off guard despite early warnings.
The sheer scale of the flight cancellations underscores the severity of the situation, as Shanghai typically handles over 1,000 flights daily.
- 1,400 flights cancelled at Shanghai airports.
- Pudong and Hongqiao airports suspended operations.
- Typhoon Dolphin is the year's strongest storm.
Transport authorities have also halted high-speed train services connecting Shanghai to neighbouring cities, effectively cutting off the metropolis from the rest of the national rail network.
This coordinated shutdown is part of a broader strategy to prevent casualties, as winds gusting up to 150 kilometres per hour make travel impossible.
Airport terminals are crowded with stranded travellers, many of whom are sleeping on the floor as they wait for the all-clear signal.
The disruption is expected to ripple through global supply chains, as Shanghai serves as a critical logistics hub for international freight.
While the storm is currently centred over the coast, its outer bands are already being felt as far inland as Jiangsu province.
Residents have been advised to stay indoors and away from windows, as flying debris poses a significant risk to anyone caught outside.
The storm's arrival marks the peak of the Pacific typhoon season, which has seen an unusually high number of intense weather systems this year.
Local media showed footage of empty highways and sandbagged storefronts, painting a picture of a city in lockdown mode.
The airport authority stated that flight schedules would not resume until wind speeds drop below safe thresholds for take-off and landing.
Meanwhile, shipping containers at the Port of Shanghai, the world's busiest container port, have been secured to prevent them from being toppled by the gale-force winds.
The economic impact of this shutdown is mounting by the hour, with analysts estimating losses in the hundreds of millions of euros per day.
However, officials prioritised human safety over economic concerns, insisting that the massive evacuation effort was necessary to avoid a tragedy.
The typhoon is moving slowly, which means the heavy rainfall will likely persist for several days, prolonging the travel chaos.
1,400 flights is a conservative estimate, as some carriers may cancel additional services as the day progresses.
The situation remains fluid, with emergency teams on standby to clear runways and repair any damage to airport infrastructure once the storm subsides.
For now, Shanghai sits in the eye of the storm, waiting for the winds to die down.
1 Million Flee China's Coasts in Historic Mobilisation
More than one million people have been evacuated from coastal areas in eastern China as authorities race to move residents out of the path of Typhoon Dolphin.
The massive mobilisation involves thousands of soldiers, police officers, and civilian volunteers working around the clock to relocate vulnerable populations from low-lying areas.
This evacuation is one of the largest seen in recent years, reflecting the government's growing caution in the face of increasingly extreme weather events.
The displaced residents are being housed in temporary shelters set up in schools, government buildings, and sports stadiums across the region.
Provincial officials in Zhejiang and Jiangsu ordered the mandatory evacuation of fishing boats and coastal communities, fearing a devastating storm surge.
- Over 1 million people evacuated from coastal regions.
- Residents sheltered in schools and stadiums.
- Military deployed to assist evacuation efforts.
The operation began days before the storm's landfall, utilising an extensive network of text alerts, loudspeakers, and door-to-door visits to ensure no one was left behind.
Elderly residents and those with limited mobility were given priority assistance, with buses and trucks arranged to transport them to safety.
Fishing fleets, numbering in the thousands, were recalled to port, with vessels double-moored to prevent them from being dragged out to sea.
The scale of the evacuation highlights the immense population density along China's eastern seaboard, where typhoons pose a perennial threat.
In the city of Zhoushan, a major archipelago off the coast, ferry services were suspended, isolating thousands of islanders who rely on boats for daily transport.
Helicopters have been placed on standby for rescue missions, should the weather conditions allow them to fly.
The evacuation effort is not without its challenges; reports from the ground indicate congested roads as residents fled inland, leading to traffic jams stretching for kilometres.
However, the disciplined response suggests that lessons have been learned from past disasters where delayed evacuations led to higher casualties.
Shelters are stocked with food, water, and medical supplies, capable of sustaining the displaced population for several days.
Local authorities are enforcing strict COVID-19 prevention measures within the shelters, requiring masks and temperature checks to prevent outbreaks.
1 million people is a staggering number, roughly equivalent to the entire population of Brussels being moved in a matter of hours.
The logistical feat is a testament to the authoritarian efficiency of the Chinese state apparatus when mobilised for disaster response.
Yet, the human cost is evident in the faces of the evacuees, many of whom carry only a few belongings and worry about the homes they left behind.
The storm surge, which could raise sea levels by several metres, is the primary concern for these coastal communities.
Engineers have inspected flood defences and dykes, reinforcing weak spots identified during previous seasons.
The evacuation zone extends several kilometres inland, covering areas that were devastated by previous typhoons.
While the immediate priority is saving lives, the long-term recovery will be arduous, with potential damage to agriculture and infrastructure running into billions of euros.
The success of this evacuation will likely be measured by the final death toll, which officials hope to keep at zero.
Record Rainfall Batters Shanghai's Financial District
Shanghai, a city of 26 million people, is currently enduring record rainfall as Typhoon Dolphin unleashes its fury on the urban landscape.
The financial district of Lujiazui, usually a hive of activity, has been transformed into a ghost town, with office towers standing dark against the leaden sky.
Drainage systems are struggling to cope with the torrential downpour, leading to flash flooding in low-lying neighbourhoods and subway stations.
1,400 millimetres of rain is not an unrealistic cumulative figure for the duration of the storm, posing a severe test to the city's flood defences.
The Bund, Shanghai's famous waterfront promenade, has been completely submerged by the rising Huangpu River, with waves crashing over the flood walls.
- Record rainfall hits Shanghai metropolitan area.
- Lujiazui financial district shuts down.
- The Bund waterfront submerged by river surge.
Traffic lights have malfunctioned in several districts due to water ingress, adding to the chaos on the roads.
Emergency crews are working frantically to pump water out of key transport tunnels, including the under-river crossings that link the city's east and west banks.
The Shanghai Metro, one of the world's largest subway systems, has reduced services significantly, with several stations closed due to flooding risks.
Videos circulating on social media show cars floating down streets turned into rivers, reminiscent of the scenes witnessed in Chengde during the previous month's storms.
Residents in high-rise apartments report feeling the buildings sway in the high winds, a terrifying sensation for those living above the 30th floor.
The city's stock exchange remained open, albeit with reduced staffing, as electronic trading continued despite the physical disruption.
However, many banks and financial institutions instructed employees to work from home, heeding government warnings to stay off the streets.
The record rainfall is exacerbating the risk of landslides in the hilly outskirts of the city, where soil has been saturated by weeks of wet weather.
Municipal workers have been distributing sandbags to shopkeepers and residents in vulnerable areas, trying to stem the tide of water entering ground-floor premises.
The power grid has held up relatively well so far, but isolated blackouts have been reported in districts where falling trees have severed power lines.
Firefighters are responding to hundreds of calls for help, mostly related to trapped vehicles and leaking roofs.
The intensity of the rain is such that visibility is reduced to a few metres, making driving hazardous even for emergency vehicles.
Shanghai's extensive network of underground shopping malls is also at risk, with managers deploying flood gates to prevent water from cascading down escalators.
The storm is a stark reminder of the city's vulnerability to climate change, as rising sea levels threaten to make such flooding events more frequent.
Urban planners have long warned that Shanghai's rapid expansion into reclaimed land has increased its exposure to storm surges.
For now, the city is hunkering down, waiting for the rain to stop and the waters to recede.
The economic heart of China may be bruised, but it is unlikely to break, thanks to robust infrastructure and a well-prepared emergency response.
Yet, the images of a submerged Bund serve as a powerful symbol of nature's dominance over human engineering.
July's Deadly Rains Foreshadow Dolphin's Fury
The devastation wrought by Typhoon Dolphin comes just weeks after catastrophic flooding in southern China claimed the lives of 39 people, highlighting a pattern of extreme weather battering the nation.
In July, relentless rains caused rivers to burst their banks, sweeping away homes and infrastructure in a disaster that caught many by surprise.
The death toll of 39, released by officials, is likely a conservative estimate, with dozens more reported missing at the time.
That tragedy served as a grim dress rehearsal for the current crisis, exposing weaknesses in local flood defences and emergency response protocols.
39 people lost their lives in the July floods, a number that authorities are desperate to avoid repeating with Typhoon Dolphin.
The earlier storms also brought Typhoon Bavi, which battered the eastern coast and caused dangerous flooding in the city of Chengde.
- July floods killed 39 people in southern China.
- Typhoon Bavi caused vehicles to wash away in Chengde.
- Recent storms expose climate vulnerability.
Eyewitness footage from Chengde