60 Percent of Shanghai Flights Canceled as Typhoon Dolphin Approaches

Shanghai's two airports plan to cancel nearly 60 percent of arriving and departing flights on Sunday as Typhoon Dolphin approaches, aviation authorities said Saturday.

The typhoon, the season's 13th, is on track to make landfall along the central-to-southern Zhejiang coast late Sunday night into early Monday.

Flights

Capacity at Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport will drop starting Sunday. The two airports plan to cancel 1,384 flights combined: 871 at Pudong and 513 at Hongqiao.

Passengers should check with their airline for the latest flight status before heading to the airport.

Metro

Shanghai Metro will run trains at reduced speed on ground-level and elevated sections of most lines starting with Sunday's first trains, operator Shentong Metro Group said.

Line 3 and the Pujiang Line will run at reduced speed along their entire routes. Lines 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16 and 17, along with the airport link line, will slow only on above-ground and elevated sections. Line 16 will drop its express service and stop at every station. Other lines and sections will run normally.

Shentong Metro said it will keep adjusting train schedules based on wind speed, rainfall and the storm's impact on operations, and could suspend service in an emergency. Riders should follow official channels for the latest updates.

Bridge closure

The Donghai Bridge, which links Shanghai to the offshore Yangshan Deep-Water Port, closed to all vehicle traffic in both directions at 7:30pm Saturday, city traffic police said.

Shanghai has issued a blue typhoon warning and an orange wave warning. Police are urging drivers elsewhere in the city to slow down, keep extra distance from other vehicles, turn on headlights in low visibility, and avoid flooded roads, including underpasses, tunnels and older neighborhoods prone to standing water. Drivers should not try to cross water deeper than half a tire's height.