Typhoon Dolphin batters Okinawa with gusts up to 216 km/h; China braces for landfall

Typhoon Dolphin struck Japan's southern prefecture of Okinawa, injuring six people and leaving tens of thousands of buildings without power as it moved north-west toward the Chinese coast.

Japanese authorities said five elderly people in Okinawa were hurt — three fell because of strong winds — and another person was injured in Kagoshima prefecture; none of the injuries were reported to be life-threatening. Domestic airlines ANA Japan Airlines cancelled flights to and from Okinawa. Official counts in Japan included nearly 39,000 buildings without power in Kagoshima and just over 12,000 in Okinawa, while other reports put the nationwide total at around 56,000 homes without electricity.

Storm intensity and tracks

Forecasters recorded a maximum sustained wind speed of 162 km/h for Dolphin, with wind gusts reaching 216 km/h. A pressure reading of 943.7 hPa was reported as the eyewall lashed northern Okinawa. Over the ocean gusts were estimated up to 60 m/s and heavy rain was expected to dump up to 180 mm on Okinawa.

The system is moving toward the Chinese coast at about 15 km/h. Chinese meteorological authorities said the typhoon was likely to make landfall between the city of Zhoushan in Zhejiang province and Fuding in Fujian between Sunday night and Monday morning, expected to occur between August 9 and August 10, 2026. Near the storm centre wind speeds of 38–45 m/s were forecast for affected coastal areas.

In anticipation of the landfall, eastern coastal regions of China prepared for prolonged heavy rain through August 12, with some forecasts warning that parts of eastern Zhejiang could receive more than 600 mm of rain. Zhejiang raised its coastal typhoon alert to the highest level, closed ports and suspended 162 ferry services; Fujian also suspended ferry operations. Ningbo Lishe International Airport announced it would close at 23:30 on Saturday, August 8, 2026, and cancel all flights on Sunday, August 9.

Taiwan reported 78 international flights cancelled and expected heavy rains in its northern regions over the weekend, but authorities had not ordered evacuations as of Saturday. Taipei described Beijing's instruction to vessels transiting the Taiwan Strait to follow Chinese maritime-control guidance as "ridiculous," saying China has no right to restrict access to international waters. China regards Taiwan as part of its territory; Taipei and Washington reject that claim.

Photo: press material from the event