Typhoon Dolphin makes landfall on China's east coast

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall on China's east coast on Sunday, bringing intense downpours and triggering evacuations, state media reported on Sunday.

The typhoon, the 13th this year, made landfall in the city of Taizhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province at around 5.30 pm (0930 GMT) on Sunday, Beijing-based Xinhua News reported, citing the National Meteorological Center.

The maximum sustained wind near the typhoon center hit Force 14, or 42 meters (138 feet) per second, making Dolphin a severe typhoon upon landfall.

The center warned local authorities in affected areas to guard against extreme downpours.

Authorities in several provinces ramped up emergency measures, with multiple cities suspending work, transport, and ferry services, and started to evacuate tens of thousands of people.

China's national observatory on Sunday activated a red alert -- the highest level in the typhoon warning system -- as the storm is expected to bring torrential rains through Wednesday to multiple regions, including Fujian, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, as well as Shandong, Tianjin and Beijing, state-run Xinhua News reported.

The affected areas will also face short-duration heavy rainfall and thunderstorms with gale-force winds.

Shanghai, which is close to Zhejiang, has stepped up preparations for the typhoon, starting to relocate over 100,000 residents and setting up 378 temporary shelters ready for emergency use, according to the news outlet thepaper.cn.

Ferry services in Shanghai were also suspended.