Tropical Storm Dolphin floods Guangdong and Fujian, kills 2

Tropical Storm Dolphin has triggered severe flooding across southern China’s Guangdong and Fujian provinces, forcing thousands from their homes and damaging crops as the storm weakened from a typhoon to a tropical depression. Authorities confirmed two deaths and reported at least 12,000 people evacuated after heavy rainfall overwhelmed rivers and drainage systems. The storm cut power to more than 200,000 households and disrupted train services, with landslides blocking key roads.

This storm arrives amid an unusually active typhoon season in the Pacific, tied to warmer ocean temperatures linked to climate change. China has already faced 13 named storms this year—far above the seasonal average—straining emergency resources and testing flood defenses in densely populated coastal regions. Dolphin had earlier lashed Japan’s Okinawa with 150 km/h winds and intensified monsoon rains in the northern Philippines, where at least eight people died in flash floods. Scientists warn that rising sea surface temperatures, fueled by global warming, are giving storms more energy and moisture, making them stronger and wetter.

More than 50 centimeters of rain fell in some Guangdong counties over 48 hours, submerging farmland and isolating villages. State media showed drones capturing footage of submerged streets and damaged bridges, while local officials warned of possible waterborne disease outbreaks due to contaminated floodwater. The National Meteorological Center issued its highest-level warning, signaling “severe and long-lasting” impacts. Farmers in Fujian’s rice-growing belt reported crop losses, raising concerns about food prices and supply chains already stressed by earlier droughts.

Emergency teams are now assessing damage and repairing infrastructure, but officials warn that further storms could hit southern China in the coming weeks. The government has activated disaster relief funds and sent medical teams to flood-hit areas. With climate models predicting stronger typhoons and heavier rainfall in East Asia, experts say cities must upgrade drainage systems and coastal defenses—or face worsening disasters. The storm’s path through three countries shows how extreme weather is becoming a shared crisis, demanding both local resilience and global climate action.