Typhoon Dolphin batters eastern China, forcing evacuations amidst record heatwave

Typhoon Dolphin has made landfall in eastern China, prompting the evacuation of over a million residents across the region. The storm struck Zhejiang province on Sunday, August 9, 2026, bringing with it powerful winds of up to 151 kilometers per hour and heavy rainfall, leading to fears of widespread flooding and landslides. Coastal cities like Wenzhou and Taizhou saw hundreds of thousands relocated, and Shanghai also evacuated a significant number of people as authorities initiated high-level emergency responses.

Concurrently, Hong Kong experienced its hottest day on record. On the same Sunday, the city's Observatory registered a temperature of 36.9 degrees Celsius (98.4 degrees Fahrenheit), surpassing its previous high set in 2017. This intense heatwave was attributed to the outer bands and subsiding air associated with Typhoon Dolphin as it approached the mainland.

The typhoon's arrival caused considerable disruption, including the cancellation of more than a thousand flights in and out of Shanghai's airports. Authorities have warned that eastern and central China will continue to experience heavy rain, even as the typhoon weakens and moves further inland.