Typhoon "Dolphin" has struck Japan and is approaching China
Typhoon "Dolphin" struck southern Japan on Saturday, causing power outages and injuring people. According to forecasts, Okinawa Prefecture and Amami Island in Kagoshima Prefecture were expected to be hardest hit by the storm, Deutsche Welle reports.
Maximum sustained wind speeds reached 162 km/h, with gusts of up to 216 km/h. Okinawa Prefecture authorities said that 240 people sought shelter in evacuation centers on Friday. There were also reports of five elderly people suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
The Japan Meteorological Agency forecast strong winds, heavy rain, and high waves for the Okinawa region through Sunday. Naha Airport in Okinawa was closed on Friday, and all domestic and international flights to and from the prefectural capital were canceled. About 14,000 buildings were left without power.
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The typhoon is expected to make landfall along the eastern and southern coasts of China late Sunday or early Monday. China’s National Meteorological Center forecasts that “Dolphin” will make landfall between the cities of Zhoushan in Zhejiang Province and Fuding in Fujian Province.
In Zhejiang, the highest alert level has been declared for coastal areas due to the typhoon. Ports in the province have suspended operations, and 162 passenger ferry routes have been halted. Ningbo Lishe Airport announced that it will close at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and suspend all flights on Sunday. Forecasters warned that some areas of eastern Zhejiang could see more than 600 mm of rainfall, and that the storm would affect eastern China—including parts of Shanghai—through August 12.
In Taiwan, 63 international flights were canceled due to the storm; heavy rains were also expected in the north of the island. Beijing ordered ships passing through the Taiwan Strait to follow its traffic control instructions during the typhoon. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council called these demands “absurd,” stating that Beijing has no right to restrict access to international waters.
