Typhoon Dolphin Slams Japan, Heads to China
Typhoon Dolphin, a strong marine storm that hit the southern island of Okinawa in Japan, is moving quickly toward the coastal areas of eastern China. Over 14,000 homes in Japan have lost power due to the typhoon, and at least five people have been hurt. China has already taken every necessary action along its eastern coast in advance of the storm, including closing ports, airports, schools, and tourism destinations.
The typhoon is presently northwest of Okinawa’s Kume Island, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Near its core, sustained winds have peaked at 162 km/h, with gusts reaching 216 km/h. Okinawa and Amami Island in the Kagoshima region are being battered by strong winds and heavy rainfall. Strong winds caused at least five senior people to be injured, according to the Okinawa prefectural government. Many flights have also been cancelled in China, Taiwan, and Japan.
Typhoon Dolphin is predicted to make landfall between Sunday night and Monday am along the coastal regions of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, according to a warning from China’s National Meteorological Center. The Chinese government has declared a national emergency of category 3. Some parts of Zhejiang are expected to get more than 600 millimetres of rain. All ships have been evacuated from the well-known Yangshan Port to safe havens, and Zhejiang has increased coastal alerts by suspending 162 ferry routes and port operations. Ningbo International Airport flight operations have also been suspended, as have several train services.
Beijing’s traffic regulations must be followed by ships crossing the Taiwan Strait during the typhoon. This directive was strongly opposed by Taiwan, which viewed it as “ridiculous” and an immoral meddling in international waters. Notably, this weather system quickly grew into a “very strong typhoon” on July 28 after beginning as a tropical depression in the Pacific Ocean on July 26. The disaster has surfaced in the middle of recent heatwaves in East Asia that have broken records, creating fresh worries about extreme weather over the entire area.
