A typhoon is lashing Japan's south, causing injuries and blackouts. It is now headed for China, where ports have been closed in preparation.
https://p.dw.com/p/5ITxATyphoon Dolphin has brought heavy rain to JapanImage: NTV-NNN/AP Photo/picture allianceAdvertisementTyphoon Dolphin raged over Japan's southern regions on Saturday, causing some injuries and blackouts.
Okinawa and Amami island in Kagoshima prefecture were the areas expected to be worst affected.
The storm is expected to move on to China, making landfall along its eastern and southern coast between late Sunday and early Monday, with Chinese authorities shutting down ports and ferry services ahead of the storm.
The China National Meteorological Centre Typhoon Dolphin has said Typhoon Dolphin will probably make landfall between the city of Zhoushan in Zhejiang province and the city of Fuding in Fujian province.
Zhejiang has raised its coastal typhoon alert to its highest level, while ceasing port operations and suspending 162 passenger ferry routes.
The storm is expected to bring rain and strong winds to eastern China, including parts of Shanghai, through August 12.
Some parts of eastern Zhejiang could be in for a deluge, forecasters say, with more than 600 mm (23.6 inches) of rain possible.
Ningbo Lishe International Airport in Zhejiang said it will stop its operations from 11:30 p.m. (1530 GMT) on Saturday and suspend all flights on Sunday.
Taiwan, where 63 international flights have been cancelled, is also expected to experience heavy rain in the north over the weekend.
New political friction between Taiwan and China has also arisen after Beijing ordered that ships passing through the Taiwan Strait must heed its traffic control instructions amid the typhoon.
Taipei has slammed Beijing's injunctions as "ridiculous," saying that Beijing has no right to restrict access to international waters.
"The unreasonable and crude statement by the relevant Chinese Communist departments reflects an ignorance, disregard, and trampling of international order and norms. It is utterly ridiculous!" Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement late on Friday.
China regards the democratically governed island as a breakaway territory of its own and also claims to own the strategic strait, a stance rejected by both Taipei and Washington.
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