Typhoon Dolphin Hits Japan and Taiwan as China Prepares for Landfall

Typhoon Dolphin lashed southern Japan on Saturday before moving toward eastern China, where it is expected to make landfall between late Sunday and early Monday. The storm is most likely to hit the coast between Zhoushan in Zhejiang province and Fuding in Fujian province. Chinese authorities have issued an orange category alert, the second highest level, and have raised the emergency response to level III due to risks of flooding and landslides. In preparation, Zhejiang province raised its coastal alert to the highest level, halted port operations, and suspended 162 passenger ferry routes. Ningbo Lishe International Airport announced the suspension of all flights on Sunday, and Shanghai's Yangshan port was cleared of vessels by late Friday. Rain and strong winds are expected to affect eastern China through August 12, with some areas of eastern Zhejiang potentially receiving more than 600 mm of rain.

In Japan, the typhoon hit Okinawa and Amami island in Kagoshima prefecture with maximum sustained winds of 162 kph and gusts reaching 216 kph. The storm injured six people, including five elderly individuals in Okinawa who suffered non life threatening injuries. Power was cut to over 50,000 buildings, with approximately 39,000 affected in Kagoshima and 12,000 in Okinawa. Domestic airlines ANA and Japan Airlines cancelled flights to the region.

Taiwan also experienced disruptions as the storm passed to the north. The Central Weather Administration reported that the typhoon brought strong winds and heavy rain, leading to the cancellation of dozens of international flights and the suspension of 81 ferry services on Sunday. In Taipei, the storm caused 75 reported incidents, including fallen trees and collapsed scaffolding, which left one woman slightly injured. Precautionary measures included the closure of pedestrian and bicycle lanes on the Danjiang Bridge.

Political tensions emerged as China ordered ships passing through the Taiwan Strait to follow its traffic control instructions during the storm. Center left sources report that Taipei denounced these measures as ridiculous, stating that Beijing has no right to restrict international waters. Center right sources also noted this friction, highlighting the conflicting claims over the strategic strait. Meanwhile, flight disruptions extended to Hong Kong, where at least 12 flights to mainland China, Taiwan, and Japan were cancelled.