Typhoon Dolphin hits eastern China, authorities take measures to protect lives and property
Chinese cities hit by Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th this year, are taking comprehensive measures to protect people's lives and property. When a storm born in the warm waters of the Pacific crashes onto the coast with winds strong enough to uproot trees and tear off roofs, human civilisation is once again reminded of its fragility in the face of nature. Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th of the season, struck China's eastern coast with such force that authorities raised the emergency response to the highest level, evacuated thousands and halted business operations. But in this confrontation with a raging force of nature, there is another side – a system that works like clockwork: from meteorological forecasts to the coordinated efforts of rescue teams, from reservoir water releases to the delivery of drinking water to remote islands. Each new typhoon tests not only infrastructure but also human will, and Dolphin was no exception.
Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in Yuhuan, Taizhou City, in east China's Zhejiang Province at around 17:30 on Sunday, the National Meteorological Service (NMS) said. The maximum sustained wind speed near the centre of the typhoon reached 14 on the Beaufort scale, or 42 metres per second, making Dolphin a very strong typhoon at landfall. On Saturday evening, Zhejiang Province raised its typhoon emergency response to Level 1, the highest level, according to the provincial flood and drought control headquarters. Coastal areas followed requirements to suspend work, classes, business activities and transport to effectively prepare for the disaster. As of 15:00 on Sunday, 516 million cubic metres of water had been discharged from the province's river network, and more than 900 million cubic metres of floodwater from large and medium‑sized reservoirs. Meanwhile, winds of more than force 10 hit central and northern parts of east China's Fujian Province. In Ningde, where about 30,000 permanent residents live on 37 inhabited islands, local authorities delivered drinking water, instant noodles, rescue boats and pumping equipment to the islands before the typhoon arrived. On Sunday morning, Shanghai also experienced strong winds and heavy rain, causing flooding in some low‑lying areas. Rescue teams were deployed to pump out floodwater, and local authorities also evacuated residents, with all shelters fully staffed and well supplied. On Sunday, railway authorities made significant adjustments to train schedules, suspending services on sections of the Hangzhou‑Shenzhen railway and the Shanghai‑Kunming high‑speed railway. As of 17:00 on Sunday, airports across the Yangtze River Delta had cancelled more than 1,700 flights. On Sunday morning, the National Meteorological Centre issued a red typhoon warning. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters activated a Level 4 emergency response for flood and typhoon control in Shanghai and Jiangxi, while the Ministry of Emergency Management initiated a Level 4 emergency response for geological disasters in Anhui Province on Saturday.
Typhoon Dolphin is the 13th tropical cyclone this year and the first to reach such strength at landfall in eastern China. The typhoon season in the western Pacific typically runs from May to October, with its peak in August‑September. China has one of the world's most advanced typhoon monitoring and response systems, including satellite tracking, ground‑based radars and automated warning systems. The red alert issued on Sunday means wind speeds may exceed 50 metres per second and rainfall may reach critical levels. Authorities in the affected provinces have already begun assessing damage, with initial reports indicating downed trees, damaged power lines and flooded farmland. However, thanks to advance preparation and evacuation, mass casualties have been avoided. The typhoon is expected to weaken on Monday, but its effects will be felt for several more days.
As CCTV+ reports, the coordinated actions of the authorities and the public's readiness for emergencies helped minimise the impact of Typhoon Dolphin, and the early warning and evacuation system once again proved its effectiveness in dealing with powerful natural disasters.
