BEIJING: Typhoon Dolphin is set to make landfall on China’s east coast overnight on Sunday (Aug 9), bringing torrential rain and powerful winds, as authorities brace for flooding and landslides across a broad swathe of eastern China.
Typhoon Dolphin has already swept through Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture, injuring six people and cutting power to more than 50,000 buildings. Before its landfall in China, authorities moved offshore workers to safety, ordered vessels back to port and increased checks at reservoirs, mountain streams, landslide-prone areas, construction sites and tourist locations.
The storm is expected to hit the coast on Sunday evening and into Monday with sustained winds of up to 162kmh before weakening and moving inland, China’s National Meteorological Centre said. That is equal to a Category Two storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, a storm capable of producing extensive damage to homes, trees and infrastructure.
Torrential rain is forecast through Monday across Zhejiang, Shanghai, northern Fujian, northeastern Jiangxi, central and southern Anhui, and much of Jiangsu. Parts of central and eastern Zhejiang could receive 250mm to 500mm of rain, according to forecasters.
Nearly 1,400 flights in and out of Shanghai’s two main passenger airports were cancelled on Sunday, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Singapore Airlines cancelled eight flights to and from the city on Sunday, and has retimed 10 flights in and out of Shanghai on Monday and Tuesday.
Hangzhou’s airport in nearby Zhejiang province saw 270 inbound and outbound flights cancelled, CCTV’s report said.
