Typhoon Dolphin hits Japan, leaves 14,000 facilities without power; China prepares for emergency

International Desk. PNN

Powerful Typhoon Dolphin has struck Japan’s southern Okinawa island, leaving at least five people injured and nearly 14,000 buildings without electricity. The storm is now moving toward China’s eastern coast. In preparation for the storm, ports, educational institutions and tourist destinations have been closed in various parts of the country.

Okinawa Island and the Amami Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture were among the areas worst affected in Japan. The local administration in Okinawa said all five injured people were elderly. Three of them were injured after being knocked down by strong winds. None of the injuries was considered serious.

Several flights have been cancelled in Okinawa and other parts of Japan because of the storm. Air travel in China and Taiwan has also been affected.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, at around 3:00am GMT on Saturday, Dolphin was located approximately 160 kilometres northwest of Kume Island in Okinawa. The storm was moving northwest at a speed of around 15 kilometres per hour. Its maximum sustained wind speed was 162 kilometres per hour, while gusts reached up to 216 kilometres per hour.

Typhoon Dolphin originated from a low-pressure system that formed in the central Pacific on July 26. Initially moving across the ocean at around 45 kilometres per hour, the storm travelled several thousand kilometres.

It gradually developed into a tropical storm and then a severe tropical storm. After becoming a typhoon on July 28, it gained further strength and reached the level of a “very strong typhoon.”

The storm was named “Dolphin” after the Chinese white dolphin found in the waters around Hong Kong.

After passing Japan, Dolphin is now moving toward China’s eastern coast. Chinese authorities have issued a Level Three emergency alert due to the possibility of heavy rain and strong winds.

China’s National Meteorological Center said the storm could hit the country’s eastern and southern coasts between Sunday night and early Monday. The projected path includes coastal areas between Zhoushan in Zhejiang Province and Fuding in Fujian Province.

Heavy rain and strong winds are forecast in various parts of eastern China through August 12. Shanghai and surrounding provinces are also at risk. The weather authorities have warned that some areas of Zhejiang could receive more than 600 millimetres of rainfall.

In view of the risks, Zhejiang has raised its coastal typhoon warning to the highest level. In addition to suspending port operations, authorities have halted 162 passenger ferry routes.

In Ningbo, one of Zhejiang’s major cities, schools and other educational institutions have been ordered to remain closed over the weekend. All water-related activities have also been suspended.

Ningbo Lishe International Airport said airport operations would be suspended from 11:30pm Saturday and all flights would be cancelled on Sunday.

Ships at Shanghai’s Yangshan Port have been moved away. Several rail services in the Yangtze River basin will also be suspended from Sunday due to the storm.

Taiwan is also expecting heavy rainfall due to the typhoon. Authorities said 63 international flights had been cancelled because of the storm. Heavy rainfall is expected particularly in the northern part of the island over the weekend. However, as of Saturday, no evacuation orders had been issued for residents in any area.

Meanwhile, Beijing has instructed vessels travelling through the Taiwan Strait to follow China’s traffic-control guidelines because of the typhoon. Taipei strongly criticised the decision. Taiwan said China has no authority to regulate navigation in international waters.

China claims self-governing Taiwan as part of its territory and also claims sovereignty over the Taiwan Strait. Taipei, however, has consistently rejected Beijing’s claims.

The impact of Typhoon Dolphin has raised fresh concerns amid an ongoing record heatwave across East Asia. In Japan, three lions have reportedly died from heatstroke amid extreme temperatures. More than 20 people have also reportedly died in South Korea due to the severe heat.