Shanghai Cancels Nearly 1,400 Flights as Typhoon Dolphin Makes Landfall in China

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall near Yuhuan in Zhejiang province at about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 9, 2026, forcing Shanghai’s two airports to cancel 1,384 flights as China’s National Meteorological Centre issued a red alert. The storm brought sustained winds of up to 162 km/h and threatened flooding, landslides and urban waterlogging across eastern China.

Pudong International Airport canceled 871 flights, while Hongqiao International Airport canceled 513, according to figures cited by authorities. Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport also canceled 500 flights.

Travel disruption extended beyond aviation. More than 200 ferry routes were suspended, while train services in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Anhui and Jiangxi were disrupted or halted. All ferry services in the city were suspended, and the Donghai Bridge linking Shanghai with Yangshan Deep-Water Port closed to traffic at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

The storm weakened after reaching land but continued inland. “A typhoon's landfall does not mean its impact is over. After Dolphin makes landfall, it will push further inland,” Wang Haiping, chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Centre, said.

Authorities moved residents away from exposed areas before the storm arrived. About 30,300 people were relocated in Shanghai, roughly 390,000 in Taizhou and more than 98,900 in Fujian. Zhejiang officials said more than 1,000,000 people had been relocated across the province, including 900,000 in Wenzhou.

Rainfall will continue after the storm leaves the coast

Forecasters expected 250 mm to 500 mm of rain in central and eastern Zhejiang through August 10. The heaviest rain could spread across Zhejiang, Shanghai, northern Fujian, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu as Dolphin moves west and northwest.

Jia Yan, chief forecaster at the Zhejiang Meteorological Observatory, warned of prolonged strong winds and “extraordinary torrential rain” as the system travels inland. Local authorities urged residents to prepare for mountain torrents, mudslides, flooding and water accumulating in cities.

Wang Hao, Communist Party secretary of Zhejiang province, said “public safety is the top priority.” He called for the complete evacuation of people in danger and ordered precautions against mountain torrents and mudslides.

The meteorological authority raised its emergency response from Level III to Level II on Sunday. The storm is expected to gradually weaken into a remnant vortex while continuing to produce rain across northern areas, including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, through the middle of the week.

The airport cancellations stranded travelers during the weekend rush. A 44-year-old tourist from Guangdong, surnamed Chen, said his family’s Sunday evening flight from the city was canceled. The family was rebooked for Monday night, but Chen remained uncertain whether the flight would depart.

Metro operators also adjusted service. Shentong Metro Group ordered trains to run at reduced speeds on all elevated and ground-level sections because of wind gusts.

Evacuations spread across coastal provinces

Officials focused on low-lying and mountainous areas as the storm approached densely populated parts of the coast. Fujian moved nearly 99,000 people away from high-risk locations, while Taizhou relocated about 390,000 residents.

The wider Zhejiang evacuation included Wenzhou, where authorities moved 900,000 people. Those figures came as officials warned that the greatest danger could follow landfall, when intense rain moves into hills and drainage systems face prolonged pressure.

The storm’s arrival also closed transport links serving ports and coastal communities. Rail disruptions affected six provinces, and ferry suspensions cut maritime connections across the affected coastline.

Dolphin caused damage before reaching China

Before arriving in Zhejiang, the storm struck Japan’s Okinawa region on Saturday. Seven people were injured, and power was cut to more than 50,000 buildings across Okinawa and Kagoshima.

Taiwan also reported heavy rain, strong winds, canceled flights and suspended ferry routes. The storm intensified monsoon rainfall in the Philippines, where landslides in Baguio left seven people missing.

Warm air pushed ahead of the system produced a record high temperature of 36.9°C in Hong Kong. Dolphin developed from a tropical depression on July 26 in the Central Pacific and became the 13th typhoon of 2026.

A nine-year-old boy was swept into the sea on Friday by a large wave while walking with his family near a seawall in Shitang, Zhejiang. Search efforts became more difficult as the storm worsened.

Inland flooding remains the next threat

The storm’s strongest coastal winds began to ease after landfall, but its rain threat remained. Forecasters expected the circulation to cross central and southwestern China while slowing and weakening.

Officials continued monitoring for secondary flooding and landslides. The National Meteorological Centre said the alert reflected the storm’s heavy rainfall intensity, broad impact area and prolonged duration.

That warning covers more than the immediate coastline. Rainfall from the weakening system is expected to persist inland, with northern regions potentially affected through the middle of the week. Travelers with canceled flights or disrupted rail journeys face a shifting timetable as transport authorities assess wind, flooding and route conditions.

The next major benchmark is August 10, when Zhejiang could receive up to 500 mm of rain. Authorities are keeping evacuation and disaster-response measures in place as Dolphin moves farther inland.