Zhejiang applies digital tech to strengthen Typhoon Dolphin defenses

China

Zhejiang applies digital tech to strengthen Typhoon Dolphin defenses

2026-08-09 11:14 Last Updated At：13:37

As Typhoon Dolphin approaches, east China's Zhejiang Province has turned to digital technologies and advanced equipment to boost early warning systems and ramp up emergency readiness.

Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th typhoon of 2026, is forecast to make landfall along the coast between Zhejiang and northern Fujian from Sunday afternoon to Monday morning.

Zhejiang raised its typhoon emergency response to Level I, the highest level, on Saturday night, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

To better handle the typhoon, the provincial water resources department has been using a digital twin platform to simulate potential rainstorm and flood paths by integrating rainfall and hydrological data.

The platform can automatically generate response plans, identifying evacuation zones and estimating the number of people to be relocated.

"After the Level I emergency response was activated, we have been assessing the flood risks in every river basin on an hourly basis. We rely on the digital twin system to monitor water levels and rainfall changes at over 10,000 hydrological stations across the province. It allows us to analyze fast and issue warnings timely," said Chen Zhigang, an investigator with the flood and drought disaster prevention division of the provincial water resources department.

The typhoon is expected to bring strong winds and abundant moisture and affect a wide area. It may move slowly after landfall, bringing prolonged heavy rainfall and posing high risks of extreme weather and severe damage.

"This typhoon is moving relatively slowly and may linger over our province longer than a typical storm. For us, the key tasks are monitoring, forecasting and early warning. We will keep tracking the evolving rainstorm situation and issue timely alerts to support personnel evacuation and subsequent defense efforts," said Chen.

In addition to the digital twin platform, a range of advanced equipment has been deployed across Zhejiang to strengthen its typhoon defense.

In Ningbo, intelligent inspection robot dogs are now patrolling water conservancy facilities around the clock, feeding back operational data in real time.

In Wenzhou, a fixed-wing communication drone with a six-meter wingspan has completed all testing and is on standby. In the event of road, power or network outages, the drone can take off vertically, stay airborne for up to five hours, and support simultaneous communication for up to 1,200 people in a single mission.

Ferry services suspended, train schedules adjusted as Typhoon Dolphin approaches

Ferry operations have been halted and train timetables have been revised in east China's Fujian Province as Typhoon Dolphin approaches and is forecast to make landfall along the country's eastern coast between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.

Fujian Maritime Safety Administration said that to guard against Typhoon Dolphin, as of 06:00 on Sunday, a total of 56 passenger ferry routes along Fujian's coast have been suspended, with 94 passenger ferries taken out of service.

All offshore construction operations along the province's coast have been halted, and all construction work vessels have been evacuated.

Through maritime and aerial patrols, the Fujian Maritime Safety Administration has inspected the anchorage status of each vessel one by one to ensure a stable and reliable mooring condition, while preventing suspended construction vessels and passenger ferries from resuming operations without authorization.

For the safety of railway operations and passenger travel, railway authorities dynamically adjusted the train operation plan on Sunday in accordance with the path changes of Typhoon Dolphin.

Starting from 12:00 on Sunday, China Railway Nanchang Bureau upgraded the typhoon prevention emergency response level from Level IV to Level III for typhoon-affected railway sections.

Meanwhile, the railway departments have reallocated the transport capacity freed up by suspended trains to sections less affected by the typhoon, planning to add 92 bullet trains on Sunday and Monday.