A powerful typhoon brought more than torrential rain and fierce winds to eastern China after a resident in Zhejiang was stunned to discover a live octopus clinging to the window of his fourth-floor home.
Typhoon “White Dolphin” swept into eastern China with peak winds reaching force 14, making landfall in Yuhuan and Yueqing in Zhejiang within just 70 minutes. As strong winds and heavy rain battered the region, the unusual “seafood delivery” quickly became one of the most talked-about moments online.
According to Hongxing News, the resident, identified as Zhao, was at home in Kanmen Subdistrict, Yuhuan, when he noticed a small octopus stuck firmly to the glass window of a factory building on the fourth floor, more than 10 metres above ground.
Zhao reportedly recognised the creature as a local species known as wangchao, or short arm octopus. The small octopus is considered a relatively valuable food ingredient in the area and can reportedly sell for around RMB10 to RMB20 each.
The man believed the powerful typhoon winds had carried the creature from the sea, with the beach estimated to be about a kilometre away. Rather than simply returning his unexpected visitor to the water, Zhao reportedly decided to cook the octopus that same evening.
The bizarre discovery prompted netizens to joke that the typhoon had delivered a “gift from nature” or a “souvenir from White Dolphin”.
Meteorological experts explained that unusual incidents involving marine creatures falling from the sky can occur when powerful convective systems and waterspouts develop during severe storms. The strong suction generated by a waterspout can potentially lift small marine animals from the sea and carry them into storm clouds before they fall back to the ground with rain.
Adding to the online discussion, White Dolphin reportedly made landfall less than a kilometre from the location where Typhoon “Bavi” struck the area last month, with the two storms following remarkably similar paths.
Despite the humorous “seafood rain” incident, White Dolphin has caused serious disruption across eastern China. Zhejiang and Shanghai experienced widespread torrential rain as the typhoon’s extensive circulation brought heavy downpours and flooding to numerous areas.
China’s Ministry of Water Resources reported that the water level at the Yaojiang Dazha Station on the Yongjiang River in Zhejiang rose to 1.80 metres at 7.05pm on August 9, triggering the first Yongjiang flood of 2026.
Authorities had already activated a Level III flood-control emergency response in Zhejiang and deployed teams to assist with flood prevention and rescue efforts.
More than 210,000 people had reportedly been evacuated or relocated from high-risk areas in Fujian, Zhejiang and Shanghai before the typhoon made landfall, while extensive traffic restrictions were also introduced as authorities worked to protect residents.
Although White Dolphin has weakened to tropical-storm strength after moving inland, the National Meteorological Centre warned that large areas of eastern and central China could continue experiencing heavy rainfall over the following three days, keeping the flood situation a major concern.
