Typhoon Dolphin batters Okinawa as China braces for landfall

Typhoon Dolphin has intensified disruption in Japan's Okinawa prefecture, where at least 44,000 buildings lost power after the storm hit the island on Saturday. At least five people were injured, including elderly residents who fell in strong winds, according to the Okinawan prefectural government. The typhoon is now moving toward China, where authorities are preparing for landfall along the eastern coast.

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The storm recorded maximum wind speeds of 162km/h (101mph) on Saturday and was classified as a very strong typhoon by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Officials warned of high waves, storm surges and lightning strikes as the system moved through the far south-west of Japan, affecting Okinawa and Amami. Flights to and from Naha International Airport were cancelled after the airport closed on Friday as the storm arrived.

In Okinawa, local reports described trees being toppled in Nago city, while a car was found overturned and leaking oil in a parking lot. The power cuts and transport disruption add to the immediate impact on residents and services in a region that is regularly exposed to severe tropical storms during the western Pacific typhoon season. Typhoon season typically runs from May to October, when storms are more common across the region.

The storm's approach is also prompting a wider response in China. Zhejiang province raised a coastal typhoon alert to its highest level, while Ningbo Lishe International Airport said it would stop operations from 23:30 local time on Saturday and suspend all flights on Sunday. Port and ferry services have also been halted in the province, reflecting concern that the storm could bring damaging winds, heavy rain and coastal flooding.

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The situation matters because Dolphin is affecting two countries in quick succession, with confirmed damage already reported in Japan and further disruption expected in China. The storm is moving through a region where coastal transport, airports and ports are highly exposed to weather-related shutdowns. It also comes during a strong El Niño year, which experts say can contribute to more intense typhoons in the western Pacific.

What remains unclear is the full scale of damage once the storm reaches China and whether the number of affected buildings or injuries in Japan will rise further. Authorities in both countries are still tracking the typhoon's path and intensity as it approaches the Chinese coast late on Sunday or early on Monday. The next developments are likely to focus on landfall timing, any additional casualties and the extent of transport and power disruption.

Typhoon Dolphin has struck Japan's southern islands, injuring six people and cutting power to tens of thousands of buildings in Okinawa and Kagoshima prefecture. The storm is now moving toward China, where authorities have shut ports and halted ferries ahead of its expected landfall on the east coast. Officials said the typhoon brought maximum sustained winds of 162 kilometres per hour, with gusts reaching 216kph.

In Japan, nearly 39,000 buildings were without power in Kagoshima and just over 12,000 were affected in Okinawa. Five elderly people in Okinawa, including three who fell because of strong winds, suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while another person was injured in Kagoshima prefecture. The main areas expected to be affected in Japan were Okinawa and Amami island in Kagoshima prefecture.

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The storm's approach has also triggered a wider emergency response in China. Authorities there have designated Dolphin as an orange-category typhoon, the second-highest level, and raised the emergency response level by one notch to level III, the second-lowest level. Chinese officials also issued multiple weather and disaster warnings, including alerts for typhoon, heavy rain and geological disaster risks.

The situation matters because the typhoon is affecting two countries in quick succession, with damage already reported in Japan and further disruption expected in China. The combination of strong winds, coastal warnings and transport restrictions raises the risk of additional injuries, power cuts and localised flooding. It also shows how fast-moving storms can force emergency measures across a broad stretch of the western Pacific.

Typhoon Dolphin is expected to make landfall in China late Sunday or early Monday local time, with the most likely area between Zhoushan city in Zhejiang province and Fuding city in Fujian province. China's National Marine Forecasting Center maintained its highest red-level warning for waves, forecasting 5-to-8-metre waves in coastal waters off Zhejiang through Sunday afternoon. Under an orange-level warning, waves in coastal waters off Shanghai and northern Fujian could reach 3 to 5.5 metres.

What remains unclear is the full scale of damage once the storm reaches China and whether the number of affected buildings in Japan will rise further as winds and rain continue. Authorities in both countries are still monitoring the typhoon's track and intensity. The next updates are likely to focus on landfall timing, any additional injuries, and the extent of transport and power disruption.

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