China issues red alert as Typhoon Dolphin approaches

BEIJING, Aug. 9 -- China's national observatory on Sunday activated a red alert -- the highest level in the country's typhoon warning system -- as Typhoon Dolphin approaches.

Typhoon Dolphin is forecast to make landfall along the country's east coast from Zhoushan in Zhejiang Province to Fuding in Fujian Province, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

As of 10:00 a.m. Sunday, the typhoon's center was about 215 km offshore east of Wenzhou in Zhejiang, with maximum winds near the center reaching the speed of 45 meters per second, the NMC said.

The NMC forecast that Typhoon Dolphin will move westward at a speed of 20 to 25 km per hour. After landfall, it is expected to move west-northwestward and gradually weaken.

From Sunday to Wednesday, the typhoon is expected to bring torrential rains to multiple regions, including Fujian, Zhejiang and Shanghai, as well as Shandong, Tianjin and Beijing. The affected areas will also experience short-duration heavy rainfall and thunderstorms with gale-force winds.

In response to the typhoon, China's meteorological authority on Sunday upgraded its emergency response for severe meteorological disasters from Level III to Level II.