August 8, 2026
Powerful Typhoon Dolphin has struck Japan’s southern Okinawa Prefecture, injuring at least five people and cutting electricity to nearly 14,000 buildings. The storm is forecast to move toward China’s eastern coast, prompting authorities there to suspend port operations and ferry services as a precaution.
According to Reuters, Dolphin has sustained winds of up to 162 kilometers per hour, while gusts have reached 216 km/h.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency said that as of 03:00 GMT on Saturday, August 8, the typhoon was located about 160 kilometers northwest of Kume Island in Okinawa. The storm was moving northwest at around 15 km/h.
The Okinawa prefectural government said the country’s two major domestic airlines, ANA and Japan Airlines, had cancelled several flights in the region due to the storm.
All five people injured were elderly, authorities said. None suffered life-threatening injuries. Three people were hurt after being knocked down by strong winds.
Okinawa and the Amami Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture have been identified as the areas at greatest risk from the typhoon.
China Raises Alert to Highest Level
China’s National Meteorological Center said Dolphin could reach the country’s eastern and southern coasts between Sunday night and early Monday. The storm could make landfall somewhere between Zhoushan in Zhejiang Province and Fuding in Fujian Province.
Winds near the center of the storm could reach 137 to 162 km/h, according to the forecast.
Heavy rainfall and strong winds are expected across eastern China through August 12, with Shanghai and surrounding provinces also likely to be affected. More than 600 millimeters of rain could fall in some parts of eastern Zhejiang.
Zhejiang has raised its coastal typhoon warning to the highest level. Port operations have been suspended, while 162 passenger ferry routes have been cancelled.
Ningbo Lishe International Airport in Zhejiang said it would suspend operations from 11:30 p.m. Saturday, with all flights scheduled for Sunday cancelled. Ships were also moved out of Shanghai’s Yangshan Port by Friday night as authorities prepared for the storm.
Some rail services in the Yangtze River Delta region are also expected to be suspended.
Taiwan Cancels Flights
The approaching typhoon has also disrupted travel in Taiwan, where 63 international flights have been cancelled.
Heavy rain is forecast in northern Taiwan over the weekend. However, authorities had not issued evacuation orders for any areas as of Saturday.
