Shanghai cancels more than 1,300 flights as Typhoon Dolphin reaches China’s eastern coast

Typhoon Dolphin hit China’s eastern coast on Sunday evening, triggering major disruption to air travel and prompting preemptive protective measures across the region, according to The Washington Times. Shanghai’s two airports canceled more than 1,300 flights as the storm system approached and local authorities implemented emergency weather responses.

The report said Typhoon Dolphin forced more than 300,000 people to relocate in advance. The relocations were carried out as the storm moved inland, with the aim of reducing injuries and damage from high winds and heavy rain associated with typhoons.

A separate element of the impact was felt earlier in the week, when the storm brought heavy rains to northern Taiwan on the day before Dolphin reached China’s coast. The timing underscored how weather systems affecting coastal regions can shift quickly from one area to another within a short period.

In Shanghai, flight cancellations at the city’s two airports reflected the operational limits of airports under dangerous conditions, such as reduced visibility, storm-force gusts, and precipitation that can affect runways and ground services. While no casualties or damage totals were provided in the report, the cancellations indicate an immediate focus on public safety and continuity of essential services.

The government response described in the report also pointed to large-scale coordination for sheltering and movement of residents. Relocating hundreds of thousands of people typically requires transportation planning, temporary housing arrangements, and instructions for residents to avoid flood-prone areas and unsafe structures during peak storm hours.

Typhoon responses can also carry wider economic consequences, given the connectivity of major hubs like Shanghai to domestic and international travel networks. With more than 1,300 flights canceled, travelers and logistics operations would likely face rescheduling pressures until airport operations resume under safer weather windows.

As weather conditions evolve, authorities in affected areas typically reassess forecasts and adjust restrictions in steps, including reopening air services once wind and rainfall levels fall within operational thresholds. The next key developments will likely be updates from aviation and emergency management authorities on when canceled flights will be rescheduled and which relocation sites remain in use.