Typhoon Dolphin Hits Japan’s Okinawa; China Shuts Ports Ahead of Landfall

Typhoon Dolphin Hits Japan’s Okinawa; China Shuts Ports Ahead of Landfall

TOKYO/BEIJING, Aug. 8 (VoM News): Typhoon Dolphin battered Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture on Saturday, leaving five people injured, cutting electricity to around 14,000 buildings, and disrupting air travel. Authorities in China also shut ports, suspended ferry services, and issued high-level warnings as the powerful storm approached its eastern coastline.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the typhoon was located about 160 km northwest of Kume Island at 0300 GMT, moving northwest at around 15 kph.

Okinawa’s prefectural government said five elderly residents sustained minor injuries, including three who fell due to strong winds. Domestic carriers ANA and Japan Airlines cancelled multiple flights to and from the affected region.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 162 kph, with gusts reaching up to 216 kph. Okinawa and Amami Island in Kagoshima prefecture are expected to experience the worst weather conditions.

China’s National Meteorological Centre said Typhoon Dolphin is forecast to make landfall between late Sunday and early Monday, most likely along the coast between Zhoushan in Zhejiang province and Fuding in Fujian province.

Forecasters warned that winds near the storm’s centre could reach 38 to 45 metres per second (85–101 mph). Heavy rain and strong winds are expected across eastern China through Aug. 12, including Shanghai and neighbouring provinces. Some parts of eastern Zhejiang could receive more than 600 mm of rainfall.

Zhejiang province raised its coastal typhoon alert to the highest level, halted port operations, and suspended 162 passenger ferry routes.

Ningbo Lishe International Airport announced it would suspend operations late Saturday, with all flights cancelled on Sunday. Shanghai’s Yangshan Port had already cleared vessels by Friday evening, while some rail services across the Yangtze River Delta will be suspended from Sunday.

In Taiwan, authorities said 63 international flights were cancelled due to the approaching typhoon. Heavy rainfall is forecast for northern parts of the island over the weekend, although no evacuation orders had been issued as of Saturday.

Separately, China instructed ships transiting the Taiwan Strait to follow its traffic control measures during the typhoon. Taiwan rejected the directive, calling it “ridiculous” and asserting that Beijing has no authority to restrict navigation in international waters. The Taiwan Strait remains a point of longstanding dispute between China and Taiwan, with the United States also rejecting Beijing’s territorial claims.

(Imputs From Reuters)