Shanghai cancels 1,300 flights as China prepares for Typhoon Dolphin
Shanghai has cancelled over 1,300 flights and evacuated hundreds of thousands of residents in preparation for Typhoon Dolphin. The storm, which previously impacted Taiwan, is expected to bring severe winds and heavy rainfall to China's Zhejiang and Fujian provinces.
Why it matters
Large-scale evacuations and flight cancellations underscore the significant economic and logistical impact of extreme weather events on major global transit hubs.
Shanghai's two airports cancelled more than 1,300 flights and authorities relocated some 300,000 people in surrounding regions as China prepared for Typhoon Dolphin, after the storm brought heavy rains to northern Taiwan.
The outer bands of the storm on Saturday (August 8, 2026) hit northern Taiwan, including the capital Taipei, bringing rain. Some Taiwanese airlines also cancelled their flights to China on Sunday (August 9).
The storm's maximum sustained winds were estimated at about 162 kilometres per hour as of Sunday (August 9) morning. It is bringing heavy rains, creating a risk of severe flooding as well as landslides and is expected to hit Zhejiang province and northern parts of neighbouring Fujian province late on Sunday.
Forecasters in China said that areas could see 200-400 mm (7.9–15.7 inches) of rainfall over the next few days. Authorities are warning of severe landslide risks in Zhejiang.
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