Typhoon Dolphin struck Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture on Saturday, injuring at least five or six people and cutting power to more than 50,000 buildings in affected areas, while Chinese authorities prepared for the storm’s expected arrival on the eastern coast.
According to Japanese authorities and meteorological reports, the typhoon carried maximum sustained winds of about 162 kilometers per hour (roughly 100 mph) with higher gusts. Injuries included elderly residents, some of whom fell due to strong winds; none were reported as life-threatening in initial accounts. Power outages affected thousands of buildings in Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures. Domestic airlines cancelled flights to and from Okinawa.
The Japan Meteorological Agency tracked the storm moving northwest. It was expected to affect Okinawa and nearby islands before continuing toward China.
Chinese authorities designated Dolphin an orange-category typhoon (second-highest level) and raised emergency response measures. Ports were shut, ferry routes suspended (including more than 160 in Zhejiang province), schools closed, and tourist activities halted in eastern coastal areas. The storm is forecast to make landfall between late Sunday and early Monday, most likely between Zhoushan in Zhejiang province and Fuding in Fujian province, with potential for heavy rain and strong winds affecting regions including parts of Shanghai through the following days. Some forecasts indicated the possibility of more than 600 mm of rain in parts of eastern Zhejiang.
Flights were also disrupted in related regions. Authorities cited risks of flooding and landslides. The typhoon is the 13th of the 2026 season in the relevant basin.
SOURCES: Reuters, Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Japan Meteorological Agency reports via major outlets, China National Meteorological Center reports via major outlets
