According to storm news, the latest low pressure from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Typhoon Dolphin (storm No. 13 as called in Japan) is about 335 km north of Taipei, Taiwan (China).
The strongest wind near the storm center reached 140 km/h. The storm is moving in a West-Northwest direction at a speed of about 22 km/h, entering the southeastern coast of China, and is expected to make landfall in the southern area of Taizhou city.
JTWC forecasts that Typhoon Dolphin will continue to move west along the southern edge of the subtropical high pressure for about 12 hours, then turn west-northwest. Typhoon intensity is forecast to gradually decrease after making landfall.
After going deep inland, Dolphin will quickly weaken and gradually dissipate in eastern and central China in about 2 days.
Previously, according to the National Meteorological Center of China, at 10:00 AM on August 9, the storm center was about 215 km from the sea east of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, with the strongest wind near the center reaching 45 m/s.
Due to the impact of the storm, many areas in eastern China experienced heavy rain and strong winds. Localities forecast to be affected include Fujian, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Shandong, Tianjin and Beijing. Some places may experience very heavy rain in a short time, thunderstorms and strong winds.
Before the storm made landfall, China deployed many response measures. The national meteorological agency raised the storm warning to red, the highest level in the country's 4-level storm warning system, and raised emergency response to serious meteorological disasters from level III to level II.
In Zhejiang province, authorities have raised the emergency response to storms to level I, the highest level. More than 4,000 surveillance personnel have been deployed to inspect more than 7,500 areas at risk of landslides and other geological disasters.
Sea activities are also tightened. Zhejiang has temporarily suspended all 162 passenger ferry routes, stopped 193 offshore projects and requested 474 construction ships to enter the port. In Fujian, 98,900 people have been relocated from dangerous areas; 55 ferry routes and 115 offshore construction sites have temporarily suspended operations. All 1,210 fishing vessels registered in Fuding city have returned to port.
In Shanghai, authorities have evacuated 30,300 people from dangerous areas and more than 20 tourist attractions have been temporarily closed. Some railway services in the Yangtze River Delta region are also planned to be temporarily suspended due to the storm's impact.
People and tourists in affected areas need to closely monitor storm developments, proactively adjust schedules, limit outdoor activities and move when there is heavy rain and strong winds.
Tourists planning to go to Zhejiang, Fujian and Shanghai should regularly check their flight schedules and follow local instructions to ensure safety throughout the journey.
