China on Alert as Typhoon Dolphin Hits Okinawa En Route to Mainland

Typhoon Dolphin struck Japan's Okinawa on Saturday, injuring five people and cutting power to 14,000 buildings. China raised its alert level for the storm's arrival on its eastern coast, halted port operations in Zhejiang, and suspended 162 ferry routes. Taiwan canceled 63 international flights, and Taipei called Chinese instructions to ships in the strait 'silly.'

Typhoon Dolphin struck Okinawa Prefecture in southern Japan on Saturday, injuring five people and cutting power to about 14,000 buildings. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the storm's center was about 160 kilometers northwest of Kume Island in Okinawa at 03:00 GMT, moving northwest at about 15 kilometers per hour. The Okinawa government reported that five elderly people suffered minor injuries, including three who fell due to strong winds. Japan's two major airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, canceled flights to the region. The typhoon brought sustained winds of about 162 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching 216 kilometers per hour. In China, the National Meteorological Center warned that the typhoon would make landfall on the eastern and southern coast between late Sunday and Monday morning, likely between Zhoushan in Zhejiang Province and Fuding in Fujian Province. Zhejiang raised its typhoon warning to the highest level, halted port operations, and suspended 162 passenger ferry routes. In Taiwan, authorities canceled 63 international flights due to the storm. Taipei called the Chinese step 'silly,' asserting that Beijing has no right to restrict access to international waters.