Typhoon Dolphin floods Shanghai
Typhoon Dolphin has brought severe flooding and widespread disruption to Shanghai, China's financial hub. The powerful storm made landfall in Zhejiang with strong winds, then weakened but continues to unleash torrential rain across eastern China. Shanghai's streets, commercial and suburban, have been inundated, forcing residents to wade through knee-high conditions. The city's two main airports experienced severe operational challenges, leading to the cancellation of more than 1,300 flights. This reduction in air travel capacity has stranded thousands and severely impacted regional connectivity. Public transportation was also suspended, exacerbating difficulties for millions of residents and commuters. The scale of the rainfall has been historic. A central Shanghai weather station recorded nearly 313 millimeters of rain in 24 hours, its highest in over 150 years. Another station reported nearly 400 millimeters, highlighting the event's extreme nature. Authorities evacuated over 215,600 people from high-risk areas in Shanghai, part of a broader effort moving over a million to safety throughout eastern China. Emergency teams are clearing waterlogged sites, though many suburban streets remain submerged. The event is compared to Typhoon Doksuri in 2022, which also brought record rainfall. Officials in Jinshan district advised non-essential businesses, classes, outdoor events, and transit to halt operations as strong winds and heavy rain persist. Social media saw "Shanghai turns into the sea" trending, reflecting the public experience of extreme flooding.
