Summary

  • China, Japan and the Philippines are reeling from back-to-back storms - Dolphin, Chan-Hom and Peilou - which are churning across the region at the same time

  • The remnants of Typhoon Dolphin, which slammed eastern China earlier this week, is expected to bring torrential rains to Beijing today, as it moves inland as a weakened tropical storm

  • In Japan, Tropical Storm Chan-Hom lashed the Kanto region, which includes Tokyo, overnight and has since weakened into a tropical depression

  • Elsewhere in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Peilou is churning east, off the Philippines eastern coast, and moving away from Asia

  • In the Philippines, at least 26 people have died after floods and landslides triggered by the seasonal monsoon and a succession of storms, including Dolphin

  • A new tropical storm, Nangka, has also formed south of Japan and is forecast to move north

Live Reporting

Edited by Joel Guinto and Yvette Tan

  1. What do these typhoon names mean?

    A group of tourists carrying transparent umbrellas under the rain in ChinaGetty Images

    Typhoons get their names from a list compiled by the World Meteorological Organization, a specialised agency of the UN. The names are submitted by member countries.

    Some names, like Dolphin, are in English. Some are in the local language. Chan-hom, is a Laotian tree while Peilou is a migratory bird in Macau. Nangka is the Malaysian name for jackfruit.

    There are countries like the Philippines, that give local names, on top of the typhoon's international name because of the sheer number of storms that affect the country every year. The South East Asian nation on averege is hit or is affected by an average of 20 storms and typhoons annually.

  2. Rain provides brief respite from heatwave in Japan

    Kurumi Mori
    Tokyo correspondent

    A woman holds a hand-held fanGetty Images

    In Shibuya, the commercial heart of Tokyo, we saw storm clouds in the morning suddenly turn into a downpour as pedestrians took cover.

    It didn’t last long. Now blue skies are back in Shibuya.

    But it has eased some of the heat and made it a more bearable summer afternoon.

    Japan has been dealing with severe heat and humidity this summer.

    An unprecedented heatwave in late July prompted authorities to issue heatstroke alerts. Latest data show more than 52,000 people were sent to hospital for heatstroke and nearly 100 have died since the start of May.

    Most of the people affected are in urban hubs like Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.

    The heat - and now the storm - are testing athletes in Japan's largest high school baseball tournament, which opened on 5 August and runs through 22 August near Osaka.

    Known as Koshien, the tournament is a dream stage for young players. It's also known for its harsh conditions, as it is held every August at the height of summer.

    Last year, a number of players were forced off the field on stretchers due to heat exhaustion.

    One of the scheduled games for today has been postponed until tomorrow.

  3. Sea of garbage after days of rain in Manila

    Days of non-stop rains and subsequent floods have swept rubbish to a river near the mouth of Manila Bay, creating a literal sea of garbage.

    Watch: Manila river surface covered in tide of rubbish

  4. Some damage reported as Chan-hom passes through Japan

    Two girls sharing an umbrella in the rainAFP via Getty Images

    Tropical storm Chan-hom has passed over Japan's main Honshu island, hours after it made landfall on Tuesday, sweeping Tokyo and its surroundings.

    At least seven people suffered minor injuries because of the storm, Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

    A construction barrier collapsed along an expressway in Tochigi Prefecture, trapping a car - though no one was injured, NHK reports.

    Dozens of flights departing and arriving at Tokyo's Haneda aiport have been cancelled on Tuesday in anticipation of the storm, as authorities warn of landslides and flooding.

    The heavy rain comes days after Japan endured a sweltering heatwave, which saw temperatures in some cities rise above 40C (104F).

  5. Flood misery across the Philippines

    Flood refugees crowd a shelter in Manila PhilippinesGetty Images

    While not directly on the path of Dolphin, Chan-Hom or Peilou, large swathes of the Philippines have been battered by non-stop monsoon rains since last week.

    Over nine days, more than a month's worth of rains fell on many areas, according to the state weather bureau Pagasa. Dolphin exacerbated the deluge as it hovered north, on its way to China.

    This has resulted to widespread floods that have displaced thousands and left at least 26 people killed.

    The floods are a reminder that the country's inefficient flood control infrastructure, which has been blamed on large-scale corruption, has yet to be solved.

    Last year's monsoon floods triggered widespread anti-corruption protests.

    This week, that anger has been re-ignited on social media as rain-drenched Filipinos waded through flooded streets. The government, however, says it has made progress in improving flood-control systems.

  6. An intense typhoon season is unfolding

    A flooded street in Shanghai China due to Typhoon DolphinGetty Images

    The multiple storms we've seen over the past week haven't exactly come as a surprise.

    August has long been peak typhoon season in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, typically affecting countries like China, Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam.

    However, this typhoon season is shaping up to be more intense than usual, according to forecasters.

    London-based forecaster Tropical Storm Risk predicts that this could be one of the most active typhoon seasons on record, with storms becoming more frequent and stronger.

    A big part of this is due to a strong El Niño that began in June - so strong that some experts are describing it as a "Godzilla El Niño". The natural Pacific weather pattern pushes up global temperatures and increases the strength of typhoons.

  7. Stormy weather in Japan due to Chan-Hom

    Tropical storm Chan-Hom has not caused significant damage in Japan, based on initial reports, though wind gusts and rains can be seen:

    Tourists holding umbrellas under the rain in Tokyo's Asakusa districtGetty Images

    A sea of umbrellas shield tourists from the rain in Tokyo

    High waves caused by Chan-hom crash onto a coast in Oarai, Ibaraki PrefectureReuters

    High waves crash into the coast of Orai in Ibaraki prefecture

    High waves in Iwaki, Fukushima prefectureReuters

    High waves were also reported in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture

  8. Remnants of Typhoon Dolphin continue to drench Beijing

    People riding their motorcycles in the rainAFP via Getty Images

    Typhoon Dolphin, the strongest storm to hit China this year, has since weakened as it moved inland.

    But it is forecast to bring more rain to China's eastern and northern regions in the coming days, including the capital Beijing, according to Chinese state media.

    Much of the capital is expected to receive more than 150mm of rain between Tuesday evening and Thursday, state media report. Some cities in central China recorded their highest amount of rainfall in a single day.

    Some train services have been suspended, and flood warnings have been issued. A number of reservoirs have exceeded their flood-control limits, according to reports.

  9. Typhoon weather in China

    Typhoon Dolphin's winds have weakened significantly since it made landfall earlier this week, but it continues to stir heavy rains as it moves inland. Flood alerts are up in Beijing today.

    Person wearing blue rain coat and pink umbrella walking under wind and rain in Fuyang City, Anhui Province, ChinaGetty Images

    A pedestrian in Fuyang city, Anhui province attempts to cross the street under heavy rain

    High waves crash near Daquangou Fishing Port in Shandong provinceGetty Images

    High waves crash near Daquangou Fishing Port in Shandong province

    A man shelters under an umbrela while standing in knee-deep floods in Taizhou, Zhejiang provinceGetty Images

    A man shelters under an umbrella while standing in knee-deep floods in Taizhou, Zhejiang province

    Cars attempt to navigate a flooded street in Taizhou, Zhejiang provinceGetty Images

    Cars attempt to navigate a flooded street in Taizhou, Zhejiang province

  10. China's new challenge as natural disasters strike - fake AI videos

    As weather events become more extreme, fake videos are being shared rapidly online, and it’s causing real world problems in China.

    The BBC analysed videos purportedly from the aftermath of Typhoon Noul in July.

    AI or real? BBC analyses viral China disaster videos

  11. Fourth storm has formed

    As Asia continues to battle wet weather brought by three simultaneous storms in the region, they're bracing for another one.

    Typhoon No. 17, also known as Nangka, has formed near Japan's southern islands this morning, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

    Philippine authorities say they are monitoring it as well.

    It's expected to maintain its strength as it moves across the water in the coming days, according to a forecast by the JMA.

  12. Asia battered by three typhoons in a week

    Satellite image shows swirl of clouds that make up Typhoon Dolphin as it heads to ChinaGetty Images

    Typhoon Dolphin as seen from space

    The Pacific typhoon season is in full swing. In this part of the world, storms form over the Western Pacific then move west towards the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, China and Vietnam.

    Typhoon Dolphin followed that track over the past few days, sweeping through Japan's southern islands, just north of the Philippines, before slamming into the eastern coast of mainland China on Sunday.

    Also on Sunday, Typhoon Peilou formed in the northwestern Pacific Ocean - though it has since weakened without making landfall.

    As southern Japan was battling Dolphin, Typhoon Chan-Hom made landfall over mainland Japan on Tuesday.

    Chinese state media described Dolphin, Chan-Hom and Peilou as a rare "three-typhoon situation" in the region. All three typhoons have since weakened.

    These typhoons (called hurricanes in the Atlantic) can cause widespread flooding, storm surges and landslides. They can also be deadly, especially when they hit densely populated areas.

    In the Philippines, heavy rain have killed at least 26 people - many of whom died in landslides, authorities said.

  13. Flood warnings in Beijing

    three men wearing white formal shirts and black trousers are cramped on a motorbike in Beijing China under heavy rainGetty Images

    On average, 528mm (20.8 inches) or rain falls on Beijing every year, mostly between June and September.

    From Tuesday evening through Thursday, authorities have warned that in most areas in Beijing, 100mm (3.9 inches) of rain will fall in six hours and more than 150mm (5.9 inches) in 24 hours.

    In the districts of Tongzhou, Daxing, Fangshan, Mentougou, Huairou, and Fengtai, rainfall might exceed 200mm (7.9 inches) in 24 hours.

    Typhoon season has brought widespread flooding to Beijing and surrounding areas in recent years.

  14. Storms sweep through Asia

    Man wearing a black raincoat rides a scooter under typhoon rains in ChinaGetty Images

    It is a very wet morning across many parts of East and South East Asia this morning, where three storms were recorded in a week.

    Parts of China saw torrential rains and floods overnight as Typhoon Dolphin swept into parts of the country's eastern and central region. The capital Beijing is bracing itself for more than one third of the region's annual rainfall in 24 hours. Dolphin weakened after making landfall on Sunday.

    In Japan, Chan-Hom is sweeping through the country's mainland, where weather officials have warned of landslides, swollen rivers and flooding in low-lying areas.

    And in the Philippines, over a week of non-stop monsoon rains stirred by Pacific typhoons, including Dolphin, have left at least 26 people dead. A third storm, Peilou, is churning eastwards, off the country's east coast.

    Stay with us for the latest updates.