China Severe Weather From Typhoon Dolphin Cancels 943 Flights in Shanghai
China severe weather from Typhoon Dolphin triggered heavy rain, widespread flight cancellations in Shanghai, evacuations of over one million people, and red alerts for flooding and landslides after the storm made landfall in eastern China on Sunday evening, moved north, and weakened on Monday. [2]
Typhoon Dolphin Brings Heavy Rain and Travel Chaos to Eastern China
Typhoon Dolphin brought heavy rain to eastern China on Monday after making landfall in eastern China on Sunday evening. [2] The storm continued to move north while losing power after two landfalls along the coast of Zhejiang province on Sunday. [2] Shanghai airports cancelled nearly 40 per cent of all flights on Monday as heavy rain continued. [1] The National Meteorological Centre issued its least severe typhoon alert on Monday morning. [2] Some cities resumed public transport even as the storm weakened. [2]
Widespread Flight and Transport Disruptions in Shanghai and Zhejiang
Shanghai airports cancelled nearly 40 per cent of all flights on Monday, with 642 cancellations at Pudong airport and 301 at Hongqiao. [1] Shanghai's two main passenger airports saw 943 flights cancelled. [2] Some trains began to recover on Monday morning, including services to Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province. [1] Four metro lines in the city were completely halted due to heavy rain. [1] Public transport services, including many local trains, have been suspended in the financial hub. [2] Zhejiang's Ningbo international airport will resume flight operations from midday but warned that some journeys may still be delayed or cancelled. [2] Provincial capital Hangzhou resumed subway services on Monday morning after halting some train operations on Sunday. [2] Shanghai’s flood control headquarters warned residents to take precautions against accumulated water of up to 30cm. [1] Orange and yellow rainstorm alerts were issued for multiple districts. [1]
Flood Warnings and Evacuations Across Affected Provinces
Authorities issued their most severe flash flood alert for parts of eastern and southern Zhejiang on Monday. [2] Typhoon Dolphin triggered a top-level alert over the weekend, prompting over 1,000 flight cancellations and tens of thousands of evacuations. [2] On Sunday, Typhoon Dolphin swept into eastern China, placing the country on red alert. [3] China evacuated over one million people. [3] Officials helped evacuate local residents in Lin'an district in Hangzhou as part of precautionary measures. [2] Shanghai’s flood control headquarters warned that some parts of the city might see accumulated water of up to 30cm. [1] Many streets, including popular commercial centres, were flooded in the city on Sunday afternoon. [1] One 70-year-old shop owner said he had never experienced flooding like this. [1] A city worker said the sewage system was full after the heavy rainfall and could not absorb any more water. [1]
Impact on Northern China and Lingering Weather Risks
Northern China is also set for extreme weather this week, with five districts in Beijing issuing red alerts for heavy rain on Monday. [2] Some warnings in Beijing districts included landslide and flooding risks. [2] The National Meteorological Centre warned that parts of east and central China would continue to receive heavy rain for the next day. [2] The weather system has lost power after making two landfalls along the coast of Zhejiang province on Sunday. [2]
Context of Recent Typhoons and Extreme Weather Trends
It came two weeks after Typhoon Noul struck southern Guangdong province, with authorities saying at the time that it was the strongest storm to hit China this year. [2] Extreme weather also wreaked havoc on southern and central China last month, with 39 people killed when Typhoon Maysak triggered devastating floods in the southern Guangxi region. [2] Maysak also caused thunderstorms and gale-force winds that killed 11 people and injured 331 in the central province of Hubei. [2] Scientists warn the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to heat up because of fossil fuel emissions. [2] China is the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, but it is also a global renewable energy powerhouse that aims to make its massive economy carbon-neutral by 2060. [2]
What to watch next: The National Meteorological Centre warned that parts of east and central China would continue to receive heavy rain for the next day while five districts in Beijing maintain red alerts for heavy rain with risks of landslides and flooding.
