Authorities also moved people living in vulnerable areas to safety. In Hangzhou's Xiaoshan district, for example, a shelter at Jinshan Junior High School had become a temporary home for 231 construction workers by the afternoon of Aug 9.

On the evening of Aug 8, authorities in Zhejiang evacuated some 390,000 people in Taizhou. Authorities in Shanghai evacuated more than 30,000 people from risk-prone areas.

Dolphin's impact is expected to last for days. Dong Lin, chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Center, said its circulation spans about 1,300 kilometers, contributing to a broad and prolonged wind and rain impact.

Through Aug 10, heavy rainfall is expected mainly in areas south of the Yellow and Huaihe rivers, including parts of Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Henan and Shandong.

The rain belt is expected to move northward beginning Aug 11 as Dolphin's residual circulation moves inland. According to the Beijing Meteorological Service, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is forecast to see heavy rainfall from Aug 10 night through Aug 14.