Kathmandu— Authorities across China's eastern coast have initiated mass evacuations and suspended hundreds of flights as Typhoon Dolphin approaches the region, bringing the threat of extreme winds and torrential rainfall. The National Meteorological Center issued a red typhoon alert, its highest level of warning, on Sunday morning as the storm prepares to make landfall with sustained winds reaching 162km/h.

Massive Disruptions to Travel and Transport

The approaching storm has caused significant disruption to regional aviation and maritime services. In Shanghai, Hongqiao and Pudong airports cancelled nearly 1,400 flights on Sunday, according to state broadcaster CCTV. In neighboring Zhejiang province, airlines cancelled 270 inbound and outbound flights at Hangzhou’s airport.

Beyond air travel, maritime operations have been heavily impacted. Services on more than 200 ferry routes were suspended across Zhejiang and Fujian provinces as the storm's outer bands moved through the region.

Large-Scale Evacuations and Safety Measures

To mitigate the impact of the storm, officials have relocated approximately 500,000 people from high-risk areas. In Zhejiang province, authorities evacuated about 390,000 people in the city of Taizhou on Saturday evening, while Shanghai relocated more than 30,000 residents from vulnerable zones.

In Fujian province, approximately 99,000 people were moved from risky areas on Saturday evening in advance of the landfall, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Forecasted Extreme Weather and Regional Impact

The National Meteorological Center warned of extraordinary torrential rain in parts of central and eastern Zhejiang, with rainfall totals expected to reach between 250mm and 500mm. Heavy rain is also forecasted through Monday across Shanghai, northern Fujian, northeastern Jiangxi, central and southern Anhui, and much of Jiangsu.

Prior to reaching mainland China, the typhoon swept through Japan’s southern Okinawa prefecture over the weekend. The storm injured seven people and caused power outages for more than 50,000 buildings, including 5,290 households in Okinawa by Sunday afternoon, according to the Okinawa Electric Power Company. The storm's outer bands also brought downpours and strong winds to northern Taiwan, resulting in the cancellation of over 180 flights and the suspension of dozens of ferry services.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall overnight Sunday and continue through Monday before weakening and moving inland.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.