Heavy rains, the worst in over 150 years, fell on Shanghai as Typhoon Dolphin made landfall on Sunday, August 10, 2026. This extreme weather event forced Chinese authorities to evacuate more than one million people from eastern China. Dolphin was the most powerful typhoon to hit mainland China in 2026.
The storm first hit near Yuhuan in Zhejiang province, with winds reaching 151 kilometers per hour. It then struck the city of Wenzhou. In Wenzhou, over 900,000 people were moved to safety. In Taizhou, about 390,000 residents were evacuated. In Fujian province, between 98,900 and 150,000 people left coastal areas. Even in Shanghai, 30,300 people were moved from dangerous zones.
Transportation was severely affected. Nearly 1,400 flights were canceled at Shanghai's airports. Train services were also reduced in Shanghai and five other provinces. Over 500 ships were moved to safer places. Many passenger boat routes were stopped.
Before reaching China, Dolphin had already caused damage in Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. China's weather service issued a red alert, the highest warning level. Forecasters warned that the storm's large size and slowing speed made it dangerous, even if it didn't look severe from the shore.
By Monday morning, Dolphin weakened to a tropical storm, but officials warned of continued risks of flooding and landslides. Several rivers were at risk of overflowing. People were advised to avoid travel and pay attention to flood warnings. Popular attractions like Disneyland Shanghai were closed. In Hong Kong, the temperature reached a record high for August.