Hundreds of thousands evacuated in Shanghai, eastern China, due to heavy rain and flooding
When the skies open and the elements strike a megacity, even the most modern city faces the ancient threat of water that knows no boundaries. Shanghai, one of the world's largest cities, was hit by Typhoon Dolphin, which brought not only torrential rain but also the need to move hundreds of thousands of people to safety. The evacuation of more than 215,000 people is not just a number; it is a colossal effort by city services that organised shelters, transport and meals within hours for those in the path of the raging storm. In this confrontation between man and nature, the system works like clockwork – from timely warnings to the accommodation of workers in schools and hotels. But even the most perfect system cannot stop a typhoon – it can only give people a chance to survive it.
By 17:00 on Sunday, about 215,600 people had been evacuated from areas considered at risk. Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th this year, made landfall twice in Zhejiang Province on Sunday, according to the National Meteorological Centre (NMC). Ahead of the typhoon's arrival, Shanghai took precautions and activated emergency operations to ensure the safe evacuation of people from key areas such as construction sites and low‑lying regions. "There are 290 employees in this project department, including management and ordinary workers. Of these, 180 were evacuated to government‑designated temporary shelters, and the rest are housed in nearby hotels and guesthouses provided by the project department to ensure their safety," said Li Jianming, head of the project department for the Shanghai Jiading‑Minhang line. At 14:00 on Sunday, chartered buses arrived at the construction site on time. Workers boarded in groups as planned and headed to the temporary shelter at the Shanghai SXJD Experimental School. The school plans to accommodate 376 evacuees during the current typhoon. "During the relocation period, the Malu town government provides three meals a day. We are committed to fully guaranteeing accommodation and meals for the evacuees so that they can live and eat comfortably in the temporary shelter," said Zhang Jiawei, deputy director of the Malu Subdistrict Working Committee. On Monday morning, China's National Meteorological Centre (NMC) extended the blue typhoon warning, forecasting that the storm would move northwest at 15‑20 kilometres per hour and gradually weaken.
Shanghai, located on the coast of the East China Sea, is regularly hit by typhoons during the summer‑autumn period. However, Typhoon Dolphin has been one of the strongest this season, prompting the city authorities to activate all levels of emergency response. China operates a four‑tier colour‑coded weather warning system, with red indicating the highest danger level, followed by orange, yellow and blue. The blue warning extended on Monday means that the storm still poses a threat, but its intensity is decreasing. Experience from past years, including Typhoon Lekima in 2019, which also required mass evacuations, has allowed Shanghai authorities to refine the coordination mechanisms between city services, construction companies and educational institutions that serve as temporary shelters. City authorities continue to monitor the situation and urge citizens to take precautions.
As CCTV+ reports, the evacuation in Shanghai has been another test for the civil defence system, and although the typhoon is gradually weakening, its effects will be felt for several more days, with the main outcome being that lives were saved thanks to the coordinated efforts of the authorities and the civic‑mindedness of the population.
