Eastern China Battles Flooding As Tropical Storm Dolphin Brings Heavy Rains And Disruption

Tropical Storm Dolphin brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of eastern China on Monday after making landfall in Zhejiang province as a typhoon a day earlier. Authorities warned of the risk of severe flooding and landslides as the storm moved inland and gradually weakened. More than 300,000 people had been relocated as a precaution before the storm reached the coast, while transport services were significantly disrupted. Dolphin made landfall near Taizhou in Zhejiang on Sunday evening with maximum sustained winds of 151 kph (93 mph), after bringing heavy rainfall to northern Taiwan over the weekend.

By Monday morning, the storm's maximum sustained winds had fallen to 65 kph (40 mph), according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration. The China Meteorological Administration said Dolphin was moving northwest at 15 to 20 kilometres per hour and was expected to continue weakening until it dissipated. The storm nevertheless continued to produce substantial rainfall in eastern China, with authorities monitoring areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides. State broadcaster CCTV reported that authorities in Yueqing, a city in Zhejiang province, carried out searches for people who may have become trapped inside flooded homes.

Emergency workers were also clearing fallen branches and debris from roads as the storm affected local communities. Authorities had taken extensive precautions ahead of Dolphin's arrival. More than 300,000 people were moved from potentially vulnerable areas before the typhoon reached Zhejiang. In Shanghai, more than 1,300 flights were cancelled at the city's two airports as officials prepared for the storm's impact. The disruption affected air travel even as Dolphin weakened after moving inland. The storm's effects were also felt beyond China. Dolphin did not make a direct landfall in the Philippines but contributed to stronger seasonal monsoon rains over the northern island of Luzon.

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The additional rainfall triggered flooding and landslides in several areas, increasing the risks faced by communities already affected by the monsoon. In the northern mountain resort city of Baguio, a landslide buried three houses on Sunday night, killing five people, officials said. At least five others remained missing as rescuers continued searching on Monday. Intermittent rain complicated the rescue operation, although emergency teams continued efforts to locate people believed to be trapped beneath the debris. Baguio authorities said three people were rescued alive from the landslide and taken to a hospital for treatment. Rescue workers continued clearing the affected area while searching for the missing.  The incident added to the death toll and damage associated with the heavy monsoon rainfall that Dolphin helped intensify.

The storm comes amid heightened seasonal weather risks across parts of East and Southeast Asia, where tropical systems can intensify monsoon rainfall and trigger flooding and landslides even when they do not make direct landfall. In China, authorities are continuing to monitor rainfall and water levels as Dolphin weakens, while emergency teams remain deployed in areas affected by flooding. Although Dolphin was forecast to lose strength as it moved further inland, officials warned that the weakening storm could still bring dangerous rainfall. The combination of saturated ground, swollen waterways and continued precipitation can increase the risk of flash floods and landslides. Authorities in affected areas are therefore maintaining emergency measures while assessing damage from the storm.

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