Shanghai airports were forced to cancel a significant number of flights on Monday due to tropical storm Dolphin unleashing heavy rainfall in eastern China. The storm, which had transitioned from a typhoon, triggered flooding in various areas after making landfall the previous day.
Shanghai’s Hongqiao and Pudong airports had to cancel over 900 flights, accounting for about 40% of the total scheduled flights, following the cancellation of around 1,300 flights the day before as reported by the Shanghai Airport Group. Furthermore, Shanghai suspended certain metro lines on Monday, with China Railway Chengdu Group also halting 115 trains, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Authorities issued warnings about the heightened risks of severe flooding and landslides in specific regions. State broadcaster CCTV documented efforts by authorities in Yueqing, a city in Zhejiang province, to rescue individuals trapped in flooded homes.
The China Meteorological Administration stated that Dolphin was moving towards the northwest at a speed of 15 to 20 kilometers per hour and was anticipated to weaken progressively. Dolphin had made landfall in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, on Sunday evening, with wind speeds reaching 151 kilometers per hour after impacting northern Taiwan with heavy rain over the weekend.
In Zhejiang’s Wenzhou, powerful winds and heavy rain caused a truck to overturn, as shown in a video posted on TikTok on Sunday. The fate of the driver remained uncertain.
The storm prompted the preemptive relocation of over 760,000 people, including more than 390,000 individuals in Taizhou. Shanghai and Fujian province authorities also evacuated more than 210,000 and 160,000 people, respectively, from high-risk zones.
Meanwhile, tropical storm Chan-hom was on a trajectory towards Japan’s Pacific coast, registering winds of 83 kilometers per hour on Monday morning and projected to intensify slightly before landfall between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
In Shanghai, certain districts like Jiading and Qingpu continued to grapple with waterlogged streets around the city center, as evidenced by live streams shared by residents on social media. These videos depicted individuals navigating knee-high murky water, highlighting the extensive flooding in the area.
A 39-year-old resident of Jiading, Hou Lina, expressed astonishment at the extent of flooding caused by the typhoon, emphasizing the unprecedented inconvenience experienced in Shanghai during her 10-year residency.
The article also mentioned the expected impact of Dolphin on Beijing, with forecasts anticipating substantial rainfall in the capital city and neighboring regions. Authorities in Beijing raised alerts for torrential rain, preparing to activate flood control measures on Tuesday.
Additionally, the report touched on the comparisons drawn between Dolphin and the 2023 typhoon, Doksuri, which wrought havoc in southeastern Fujian province and brought record-breaking rainfall to Beijing. The article also highlighted the extreme heat experienced in Hong Kong due to Dolphin, resulting in the highest recorded temperature since 1884.
Furthermore, the article delved into the broader implications of the 2026 northwest Pacific typhoon season, projecting heightened activity with significant numbers of tropical storms and typhoons. The article concluded by mentioning the indirect impact of Dolphin on the Philippines, intensifying seasonal monsoon rains that triggered flooding and landslides in the region.