China activates emergency response for floods as Typhoon Dolphin nears

BEIJING, Aug. 7 -- China's Ministry of Water Resources on Friday activated a Level-IV emergency flood response for six provincial regions as the approaching Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th typhoon of 2026, is expected to bring heavy rainfall to east China.

The six regions, namely Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian and Jiangxi, all located in east China, will see downpours from Saturday to Wednesday, with several rivers expected to record substantial water level rises, the ministry said.

It has instructed local authorities to strengthen monitoring and research efforts, and manage water projects well in a bid to guard against floods at rivers and reservoirs, as well as the threat of mountain torrents.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a yellow alert on Friday evening, forecasting Typhoon Dolphin to make landfall along China's eastern coast in either Zhejiang or north Fujian between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.

Compared with Typhoon Bavi, which made a landfall in the country in July, Typhoon Dolphin may bring stronger winds and heavier rainfall, said Xu Yinglong, chief forecaster at the NMC.

East China and other regions likely to be affected should give priority to typhoon response and take precautions against high winds, rainstorms and secondary disasters, Xu noted.

Also on Friday, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon control in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces to Level-III from Level-IV.

A joint consultation involving several central government departments and provincial authorities was held on Friday, urging thorough preparations for the worst by evacuating people from risky areas and stepping up flood control at rivers and lakes, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

Typhoon Dolphin could bring extremely heavy rains to eastern, central and northern regions of the country, causing high risks of mountain torrents, geological disasters, flooding of small and medium-sized rivers, and urban waterlogging, the ministry said.

China has a four-tier flood-control emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe.