Typhoon Dolphin lashed Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture on Saturday, injuring five people and cutting power to 14,000 buildings. As the storm tracks northwest, Chinese authorities have suspended ferry routes, shuttered ports, and ordered school closures across Zhejiang province in anticipation of a weekend landfall.
Impacts Across Okinawa and Japan
The storm, which was positioned roughly 160 kilometers northwest of Kume Island as of Saturday, brought sustained winds of 162 kph with gusts reaching 216 kph, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The prefecture reported that five elderly residents sustained non-life-threatening injuries, with three of those individuals falling as a direct result of high winds.
Infrastructure damage was concentrated in the power grid, with 14,000 buildings losing electricity. Domestic travel faced significant disruptions as Japan Airlines and ANA cancelled flights to the region. In addition to Okinawa, the Japan Meteorological Agency identified Amami island in Kagoshima Prefecture as a primary area of concern.
Emergency Preparations in Zhejiang and Shanghai
Chinese meteorologists expect the typhoon to make landfall between late Sunday and early Monday, likely targeting the coastal stretch between Zhoushan in Zhejiang province and Fuding in Fujian province. National authorities have declared a level III emergency response, the second-lowest tier in the country’s four-level system.
Local governments have moved to preemptive shutdowns to mitigate risk. In Ningbo, authorities ordered the closure of schools and educational facilities for the weekend. Across Zhejiang, tourist destinations have been shuttered, and all water-based activities—including cruises and ferry services—are suspended. The province has raised its coastal typhoon alert to the highest possible level, leading to the suspension of 162 passenger ferry routes.
Infrastructure operators are similarly bracing for the storm’s arrival. Ningbo Lishe International Airport announced a full suspension of operations starting late Saturday, with all flights grounded for Sunday. At Shanghai’s Yangshan port, officials cleared vessels by late Friday, while rail services in the Yangtze River Delta are scheduled to halt on Sunday.
Rainfall Projections and Environmental Context
Forecasters anticipate severe weather impacts through August 12, with some areas of eastern Zhejiang potentially receiving more than 600 millimeters of rain. These conditions have prompted warnings regarding risks of severe flooding and landslides. While the storm is expected to weaken before landfall, it remains a significant threat, with winds near its center projected at 38–45 meters per second.
The 2026 season has been notably active for the Western Pacific basin. According to the FOX Forecast Center, the region has already recorded an Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) value of 165.6, more than double the season-to-date average. Dolphin has contributed significantly to this total, accounting for an ACE value surpassing 43.
“Typically, an extremely active season is classified by an ACE value above 159.6, while an above-normal season ranges from 126.1 to 159.6, while a below-normal season has an ACE value below 73.”
FOX Forecast Center
Regional Tensions in the Taiwan Strait
The storm has also become a focal point for maritime policy disputes. China issued an order requiring ships passing through the Taiwan Strait to follow its traffic control instructions due to the typhoon. Taiwan’s government labeled the move ridiculous
, asserting that Beijing lacks the legal authority to restrict access to international waters. Taiwan also reported 63 cancelled international flights and ongoing heavy rain in the northern part of the island, though officials had not mandated evacuations as of Saturday.
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