Typhoon Dolphin weakens, but heavy rain disrupts flights in eastern China

Typhoon Dolphin weakened on Monday after bringing heavy rain to eastern China, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations and prompting the evacuation of more than one million people in recent days.

The weather system lost strength after making two landfalls along the coast of Zhejiang province on Sunday. China's National Meteorological Centre issued its least severe typhoon alert on Monday morning but warned that parts of eastern and central China would continue to experience heavy rain for the next day.

Authorities issued their most severe flash flood alert for parts of eastern and southern Zhejiang, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Shanghai's two main passenger airports cancelled 943 flights, according to the airport authority. Public transport services, including many local trains, were also suspended in the financial hub.

Some transport services resumed on Monday. Ningbo International Airport in Zhejiang restarted flight operations from midday, although it warned that some flights could still be delayed or cancelled. Hangzhou, the provincial capital, also resumed subway services after suspending some operations on Sunday.

The port city of Wenzhou relocated more than 900,000 people and opened more than 1,500 emergency shelters, CCTV reported. More than 150,000 people were evacuated in Fujian province and more than 200,000 in Shanghai, Xinhua reported.

Northern China also faces severe weather. Five districts in Beijing issued red alerts for heavy rain on Monday, with some warning of landslides and flooding.

Dolphin struck two weeks after Typhoon Noul hit Guangdong province. Last month, Typhoon Maysak caused deadly flooding in Guangxi, killing 39 people, while thunderstorms and strong winds in Hubei killed 11 and injured 331.

Scientists warn that extreme weather is expected to become more frequent and intense as global temperatures rise.