Typhoon Dolphin: 1M+ Evacuated as Shanghai Sees Record Rain
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- Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in eastern China, forcing authorities to evacuate more than 1 million people by Sunday evening across Zhejiang, Fujian, and Shanghai
- Shanghai recorded nearly 313mm of rain in the 24 hours to 7am Monday — its highest 24-hour rainfall in more than 150 years of records; another station logged nearly 400mm, and the Weibo hashtag "Shanghai turns into the sea" trended
- Wenzhou in Zhejiang relocated over 900,000 people and opened 1,500+ emergency shelters, while neighbouring Fujian moved 98,900 from high-risk areas
- Zhejiang's average rainfall from Friday evening to Monday morning reached 173mm, surpassing levels seen during previous major typhoons Lekima and Bavi
- Shanghai moved 215,600 people from at-risk zones — substantially higher than the earlier 30,300 estimate — while the city's two airports cancelled 1,300+ flights and most public transport was suspended
- Authorities maintained an orange alert for heavy rain, warning that flooding and landslides could continue through Wednesday, with forecasters predicting 200-400mm of additional rainfall across eastern and central China
- Dolphin pushed Hong Kong to its highest ever recorded temperature of 36.9C, injured six people and cut power to 50,000+ buildings in Japan's Okinawa prefecture, and intensified monsoon rains that flooded parts of Luzon including Manila in the Philippines
Why it matters: Shanghai — China's financial hub of 25 million — saw its wettest day in 150+ years of records, with 1,300+ flights cancelled and public transport grinding to a halt as floodwaters reached landmark sites like Wukang Mansion. With an orange alert still active and another 200-400mm forecast through Wednesday across at least seven provinces, business and supply-chain disruption looks set to extend well beyond the storm's weakening to a tropical storm.
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