More than 1 million people have been evacuated across eastern China as Typhoon Dolphin, the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the country this year, brought torrential rain, powerful winds and widespread disruption to coastal areas, including Shanghai.

The storm made landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday, initially striking Yuhuan with maximum sustained winds of around 150 kilometers per hour (94 mph) before making a second landfall near Wenzhou roughly an hour later, according to meteorological authorities.

Dolphin has since weakened to a tropical storm as it moves northward, but authorities continue to warn of intense rainfall, flooding and landslides across parts of eastern and central China.

Shanghai has been among the areas hardest hit by the storm. The city recorded its highest 24-hour rainfall in more than 150 years, with some locations receiving as much as 400 millimeters of rain, according to reports.

The exceptional rainfall caused widespread flooding in parts of the city and disrupted public transportation. More than 1,300 flights were canceled at Shanghai’s airports, while some metro and other transport services were suspended or curtailed.

Authorities relocated more than 215,000 people in Shanghai, while neighboring Zhejiang province also carried out large-scale evacuations. In Wenzhou alone, more than 900,000 residents were reportedly evacuated as officials prepared for flooding and other hazards.

Although Dolphin is no longer classified as a typhoon, authorities have warned that the danger has not passed. The storm is expected to continue producing heavy rainfall as it moves inland and northward.

Forecasters have warned of potentially severe flooding and landslides across Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, as well as Shanghai.

The combination of saturated ground and continued downpours has raised concerns about further flooding and landslides, particularly in mountainous and low-lying areas.

Chinese authorities had earlier issued their highest-level red alert for Dolphin as the storm approached the coast, mobilizing emergency services and ordering residents in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations.

The storm’s arrival also caused widespread transportation disruptions, with flights, rail services and other forms of public transport affected across eastern China.

Officials have urged residents to remain indoors when possible, avoid flooded roads and closely monitor weather warnings as the storm continues its northward path.

Dolphin’s impact comes during a period of heightened concern over extreme weather across parts of China, with authorities facing the dual challenges of protecting densely populated urban areas such as Shanghai while managing flooding risks in coastal and inland provinces.

For now, emergency crews remain on alert as the weakened storm continues to dump heavy rain across a broad area, with authorities warning that the threat from flooding and landslides could persist even after the strongest winds have subsided. (ILKHA)