More than a million people were moved to safety across eastern China as Typhoon Dolphin made landfall, with authorities warning that days of intense rain could trigger widespread flooding and landslides.
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Key facts
- More than a million people were evacuated across eastern China by Sunday evening.
- Wenzhou in Zhejiang province relocated more than 900,000 people and opened over 1,500 emergency shelters.
- In neighbouring Fujian, 98,900 people were moved from high-risk areas.
- Hundreds of flights were grounded due to the storm, according to Al Jazeera.
- The Guardian reported record rainfall in Shanghai as the storm moved north and inland.
More than a million people were moved to safety across eastern China by Sunday evening as powerful Typhoon Dolphin made landfall, according to the Guardian. Authorities warned that days of intense rain could cause flooding and landslides as the storm moved north and further inland.
The coastal city of Wenzhou, in Zhejiang province, said it relocated more than 900,000 people and opened more than 1,500 emergency shelters. In neighbouring Fujian province, 98,900 people were moved from high-risk areas, the Guardian reported.
The Guardian reported that record rainfall was dumped on Shanghai as the system tracked north. Authorities cautioned that the danger would persist for days, with the intense rainfall threatening to trigger widespread flooding and landslides while the storm pressed inland.
Hundreds of flights were grounded in China due to the weather conditions caused by Dolphin, according to Al Jazeera, underscoring the disruption the storm brought to transport across the affected region.
The scale of the evacuations reflects the precautionary approach taken by local authorities as the storm made landfall, with emergency shelters opened to accommodate those relocated from the most exposed coastal and low-lying areas.
Why it matters
Mass evacuations on this scale show the disruption a single weather system can cause across densely populated coastal regions. The grounding of hundreds of flights and the risk of flooding and landslides indicate the strain such storms place on emergency services and transport.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were evacuated because of Typhoon Dolphin?
More than a million people were moved to safety across eastern China by Sunday evening, according to the Guardian.
Which areas were most affected?
Wenzhou in Zhejiang province relocated more than 900,000 people and opened over 1,500 emergency shelters, while 98,900 people were moved from high-risk areas in neighbouring Fujian province.
Did the storm disrupt travel?
Yes. Hundreds of flights were grounded in China due to weather conditions caused by Dolphin, according to Al Jazeera.
Timeline
- One million evacuated as Typhoon Dolphin pummels east China: What we know
Al Jazeera: Hundreds of flights have been grounded in China due to weather conditions caused by Dolphin.
- Typhoon Dolphin: more than a million people evacuated in China as record rainfall dumped on Shanghai
The Guardian World: Authorities warn that days of intense rain could trigger widespread flooding and landslides as storm moves north and further inland More than a million people were moved to safety across eastern China by Sunday evening as powerful Typhoon Dolphin made landfall amid fears torrenti