Asia

Typhoon Dolphin's Remains Impact Asia

Does this reveal China's disaster preparedness strengths or expose the region's deeper economic and climate vulnerabilities?

Published AUG 12

Story

Above: Residents in Shanghai face flooding due to heavy rains from Typhoon Dolphin in Shanghai, China, on Aug. 10. Image credit: Yin Liqin/China News Service/VCG/Getty Images

The Facts

Beijing activated a Level II flood-control emergency response on Tuesday as Typhoon Dolphin's remnants pushed inland, with most parts of the capital expected to receive more than 100 mm (3.9 inches) of rain within six hours. The city mobilized over 23,000 emergency personnel and more than 2,000 sets of machinery and vehicles.
CGTN
China Daily
Reuters
Dolphin made landfall Sunday evening in Zhejiang province with maximum sustained winds of 151 kph (93 mph) before weakening to a tropical storm as it moved inland. China's National Meteorological Center activated a red alert — the highest level in the country's typhoon warning system — ahead of the storm's arrival.
The Associated Press
Anadolu Agency
More than 1.6 million people were evacuated from their homes ahead of Dolphin's landfall, and Shanghai's two airports canceled a total of 943 flights, reducing capacity by nearly 40%. More than 1,500 emergency shelters were opened in the city of Wenzhou alone.
Al Jazeera
Pna
Tropical Storm Chan-hom made landfall in southern Ibaraki prefecture, Japan, late Tuesday, knocking down trees and leaving more than 3,000 homes without power. About 60 flights at Tokyo's Haneda airport were canceled.
BBC News
Newsmax
Dolphin intensified seasonal monsoon rains in the Philippines, contributing to floods and landslides. The Philippine National Police reported 26 weather-related fatalities as of Tuesday afternoon, including 25 civilians and one police officer.
XINHUA
Breitbart
August is historically peak typhoon season in the Pacific, and three simultaneous storms — Dolphin, Peilou and Chan-hom — recently passed through the region. A fourth storm, Nangka, formed south of Japan and was forecast to move north, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Independent
The Straits Times

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

China's response to Typhoon Dolphin shows what serious disaster preparedness looks like — over 23,000 emergency personnel mobilized in Beijing alone, flood-control responses activated across multiple provinces, and mass evacuations completed before the storm hit. The government's coordinated action across rail, transit and emergency systems kept chaos to a minimum despite record rainfall.

Global Times on X

China Daily

XINHUA

Narrative B

Typhoon Dolphin slamming China's manufacturing and financial heartland couldn't come at a worse time. Scientists warn typhoons will only intensify with global warming, meaning this kind of economic disruption is the new normal. The Philippines is also an example of this flood stress — crumbling flood infrastructure left communities exposed, and no amount of emergency response fixes years of neglect.

Steve Hanke on X