At least eight deaths have been recorded in the Philippines and over a million people have been evacuated from their homes in China, including Shanghai, as a result of Typhoon "Dolphin" that has hit the country, bringing heavy rains, strong winds and flooding in some areas.
Chinese authorities had earlier raised the highest alert level for the storm, which is considered the most powerful to hit China this year.
Although "Dolphin" has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, authorities continue to warn of torrential rains, major flooding and the risk of landslides until Wednesday.
The typhoon hit the city of Yuhuan, in Zhejiang province, at around 17:30 p.m. Sunday with maximum winds of 150 kilometers per hour. About an hour later, it made a second landfall near the city of Wenzhou.
The storm has caused major disruptions to transport. In Shanghai alone, around 1,000 flights were cancelled on Monday, while authorities have urged residents to avoid unnecessary outings.
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Some of the most popular tourist attractions have been temporarily closed, including parts of Disneyland and Legoland.
Zhejiang province is among the areas hardest hit by the storm. In Wenzhou, authorities have relocated about 900 residents and opened more than 1,000 emergency centers, while in the city of Taizhou, about 390 people have been evacuated.
Meteorologists predict that some areas of Zhejiang could face 250 to 500 millimeters of rainfall over the next few days.
State media have reported that a nine-year-old boy from Wenling, Zhejiang, is missing after being swept away by the waters and ending up at sea.
So far, Chinese authorities have not reported any casualties from the typhoon hitting the country.
Typhoon also caused casualties in the Philippines
Before reaching China, "Dolphin" brought heavy rainfall to the Philippines, parts of northern Taiwan and the Japanese island of Okinawa.
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In the Philippines, eight people have died as a result of heavy rains and other storms over the week. More than 7,000 people are in evacuation centers across the country.
Typhoon season in the Western Pacific typically runs from May to October. Experts estimate that conditions associated with a strong El Nino year can contribute to the formation of more intense typhoons.
