Typhoon Dolphin triggers record rainfall and flooding across China

Typhoon Dolphin has caused widespread flooding and record-breaking rainfall across eastern, central, and northern China. After making landfall in Zhejiang province following a 16-day journey across the Pacific, the storm's remnants have moved deep inland, bringing intense precipitation to provinces including Hubei, Henan, and the capital, Beijing.

In Beijing, authorities issued the city’s second-highest rainstorm warning, resulting in the suspension of 250 bus routes and the closure of 150 tourist attractions. The Changping district recorded 90.7 mm of rain within a single hour on Wednesday, the highest hourly total for the area since 1954. In Zhejiang, the city of Taizhou saw average rainfall of 438 mm, setting a new record for typhoons making landfall in the province.

Meteorologists note that while the storm weakened as a wind event after landfall, its massive circulation and moisture plume allowed it to continue producing extreme rain. Experts suggest that El Niño conditions and climate change may be contributing to the increased intensity and longevity of such storms, with Dolphin being the farthest-origin typhoon ever to hit China.