Japan: Typhoon Dolphin battered Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture on Saturday, injuring six people and leaving more than 50,000 buildings without power as authorities across the region prepared for the storm’s arrival in China.
Five elderly people in Okinawa suffered non-life-threatening injuries, with three of them falling because of strong winds. Another person was injured in Kagoshima prefecture.
Power outages were reported across both regions, affecting nearly 39,000 buildings in Kagoshima and more than 12,000 in Okinawa. Airlines ANA and Japan Airlines cancelled flights to and from Okinawa as the storm brought powerful winds and heavy rain.
Dolphin had maximum sustained winds of 162 kph, with gusts reaching 216 kph. Okinawa and the Amami Islands in Kagoshima were among the areas facing the strongest impact.
China Prepares for Landfall
The typhoon is expected to reach China’s east coast between late Sunday and early Monday. Chinese authorities have placed Dolphin under an orange typhoon warning, the country’s second-highest alert level.
The storm is forecast to make landfall somewhere between Zhoushan in Zhejiang province and Fuding in Fujian province. Winds near its centre could reach 85 to 101 mph.
Authorities have stepped up preparations over concerns about flooding, landslides and mountain torrents. Zhejiang has raised its coastal typhoon warning to the highest level and suspended port operations.
Ferries have been halted in several areas, some construction work has been suspended, and fishing boats have been ordered back to shore. Ningbo Lishe International Airport said it would suspend all flights on Sunday, while some rail services in the Yangtze River Delta will also be affected.
Shanghai’s Yangshan port had already been cleared of vessels by Friday as authorities prepared for worsening weather.
Taiwan Cancels Flights
The storm has also disrupted travel in Taiwan, where 78 flights, mostly international, were cancelled. Heavy rain was forecast for northern areas over the weekend, although no evacuations had been ordered.
China has also instructed vessels travelling through the Taiwan Strait to follow its traffic-control directions during the typhoon.
The storm is expected to continue affecting parts of eastern China, including Shanghai and neighbouring provinces, through August 12.
