Typhoon Dolphin Triggers Widespread Flooding and Emergency Alerts Across China

Typhoon Dolphin, the strongest typhoon to hit China this year, has caused extensive flooding across several regions, including Hubei province and the outskirts of Beijing. The storm system traveled nearly 6,000 kilometers before making landfall over the weekend, drenching the eastern coast and moving into the interior. In Hubei, a major hub for high tech electronics and automobile manufacturing, authorities issued yellow warnings for landslides and floods in cities such as Xiangyang, Huanggang, and Suizhou. In Xiangyang, water levels at 35 reservoirs exceeded flood control thresholds, leading to the relocation of 9,705 people. The city also closed 57 of its 59 major scenic spots, while the popular Three Gorges Dam tourist area in Yichang was temporarily shut. Additionally, 26 high risk highway and waterway construction projects were suspended out of 107 total projects in the province.

In Beijing, four districts on the outskirts of the capital activated the highest level of emergency flood response. The city prepared for rainfall that could exceed one third of its annual average within a 24 hour period. Meanwhile, the National Meteorological Center renewed an orange alert for heavy rain, forecasting that Hubei could receive up to 250 mm of rain in one day. In neighboring Henan province, authorities issued a red flash flood alert as the storm channeled moisture northward. Wang Xiaoling, deputy director of Hubei's provincial meteorological observatory, noted that the storm's peripheral airflow would intensify as it encountered mountains in western Hubei. This region was already recovering from two rare tornadoes last month linked to Typhoon Maysak, which killed at least 11 people. Japan also prepared for landslides and flooding following the passage of Dolphin and the approach of Typhoon Chan hom.