Authorities in eastern China enforced precautionary measures on Saturday as Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th of the year, approached, prompting the suspension of ferry services and a halt to offshore construction amid forecasts of torrential rain and gale-force winds.
At 09:00 Saturday, the center of Typhoon Dolphin was located over the southern East China Sea, about 520 km east of Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province, and is forecast to move northwestward at a speed of 10 to 15 km per hour with its intensity remaining stable or slightly strengthening.
The typhoon is expected to make landfall along the coast between Zhoushan in Zhejiang and Fuding in Fujian Province from Sunday night to Monday morning.
The maritime safety administrations of Shanghai and Fujian have activated a Level-2 typhoon emergency response. All vessels under 3,000 gross tons in the Yangtze River estuary have been safely relocated. Numerous passenger ferry routes in the regions have been suspended, and waterborne construction projects have been temporarily halted.
As of Saturday noon, 40 passenger ferry routes in Fujian have been suspended, affecting 76 ferries, while all 115 waterborne construction projects along the coast have been halted, with 290 construction vessels evacuated.
In Zhejiang, authorities have raised their response to a Level-1 typhoon emergency. All operations at coastal ports, passenger ferry routes, and 193 waterborne construction projects have been stopped, with construction vessels moved to safe shelter waters. To ensure rapid response to emergencies, Zhejiang maritime authorities have deployed 15 large-horsepower tugboats for standby.
China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system for typhoons, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue. It also has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the highest.
Ferries suspended, construction halted in eastern China as Typhoon Dolphin nears
Spain announced on Friday that it would temporarily restore internal border checks for travelers arriving from Italy in response to Rome's refusal to lift border controls on travelers arriving from Spain amid the recent migration crisis in the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta.
The temporary checks at ports and airports will take effect at the start of Saturday and remain in force until Sept 7 unless circumstances change, according to a statement released by the Spanish government. The measures will include random identity and document checks.
The Spanish government said Italy had unilaterally reintroduced border checks on travelers arriving from Spain on Aug 1 without prior notification, describing the measures as "unjustified, discriminatory and contrary to the interests of the European Union (EU)."
Spain has called on Italy to withdraw the measures immediately.
Earlier Friday, the Italian government said it would maintain temporary checks on third-country nationals arriving from Spain until at least Aug. 15, citing national security and border-management concerns.
Rome said it "does not accept ultimatums or external pressure" on matters concerning national security and border management.
It also stressed that the controls do not apply to Spanish or other EU citizens traveling by air or sea, adding that Italian border authorities would seek to minimize disruption to legitimate cross-border travel.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced the border control measures on July 31 following a massive influx of migrants into Ceuta. About 80,000 people entered the Spanish enclave at the end of July, nearly 75,000 of whom subsequently returned voluntarily.
Between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remain in the enclave, overwhelming reception facilities and creating a severe humanitarian emergency, Ceuta President Juan Jesus Vivas said Thursday.
The influx has fueled tensions among EU member states over border controls and the possible onward movement of migrants within the Schengen area.
Spain to impose temporary border checks on arrivals from Italy
