Typhoon Dolphin Hits Okinawa, Braces China as Storm Intensifies

Trees sway in strong winds on Okinawa as Typhoon Dolphin approaches
Trees sway in strong winds as Typhoon Dolphin approaches Naha, Okinawa Prefecture.

Typhoon Dolphin has cut power to at least 44,000 buildings and injured five people after slamming into Japan's Okinawa island on Saturday.

Flights to and from Naha International Airport were cancelled as it closed on Friday, and the airport halted operations from 15:30 GMT on Saturday, with all flights suspended on Sunday.

The storm’s maximum winds reached 162 km/h (101 mph), and the Japan Meteorological Agency has classified it as a “very strong” typhoon, warning of high waves, storm surges and lightning strikes.

The main areas affected were Okinawa and Amami, with several trees toppled and a car overturned, leaving oil leaking in a parking lot.

Five elderly residents suffered non‑life‑threatening injuries, three of whom fell from strong winds. Japan’s national broadcaster NHK reported numerous such incidents across Nago city.

Across the sea, Zhejiang’s Ningbo Lishe International Airport announced it would stop operations from 23:30 local time on Saturday and suspend all flights on Sunday. A coastal typhoon alert was raised to its highest level, and port and ferry services were halted in the Chinese province.

Typhoon season in the western Pacific typically runs from May to October, and this year is a strong El Niño year, which often leads to more intense cyclones.

In an average year, 25 tropical storms reach tropical‑storm strength in the region, with about three making landfall in Japan. Some of these will be strong enough to be classified as typhoons – a case that has unfolded with Dolphin.