Typhoon Champi shuts down Taiwan; nearly 1,000 flights cancelled, one dead

TAIPEI: Almost all of Taiwan shut down on Friday ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Champi, which is forecast to bring strong winds and torrential rain. Though the storm is weakening, it could still make direct landfall on the island.

At one point a super typhoon and one of the strongest storms in the Pacific this year, Champi was still packing gusts of around 191 kph near its centre, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA).

The Typhoon Champi Taiwan landfall question remained open on Friday. The storm was about 220 km east of Taiwan, the CWA said. The forecast track shows it will pass just off northeastern Taiwan, turn north toward the Chinese coast and eventually move into southern Japan.

Typhoon Champi Taiwan: one dead, 171 injured, thousands evacuated

One person was killed and 171 were injured in Taiwan, where the government said 2,639 people had been evacuated from mountainous areas. Taipower said more than 77,000 homes had lost power, though electricity had already been restored to most.

CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng told Reuters that landfall could not be ruled out if the storm “stalls, loops, or wobbles from side to side” on approach to Taiwan.

“The storm’s wind radius is quite large, among the bigger ones in recent years,” Liu said. “If the storm slows down, the strong winds will affect Taiwan for longer.”

Coastal towns received mobile phone alerts warning of gusts exceeding 150 kph and urging residents to seek immediate shelter. Nearly a metre of rain was forecast for northern mountain areas, including around Taipei.

In the northeastern county of Yilan, where strong winds and heavy showers were intensifying and the typhoon was forecast to pass close by later on Friday, authorities distributed sandbags and put amphibious vehicles and inflatable rescue boats on standby.

“When necessary, the military will come in to help people, including using amphibious vehicles for evacuations or disaster relief,” said Lee Ming-chen, head of the port town of Suao, which was badly flooded in previous typhoons.

Huge radius covers most of the island

Taiwan forecasters said the storm’s radius was around 320 km, large enough to cover most of Taiwan, and weather experts said its impact could last nearly two days.

Taiwan’s financial markets also closed on Friday. Only the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen islands opened schools and offices as normal.

The transport ministry said all 262 domestic flights were cancelled for Friday, along with 717 international ones. The north-south high-speed rail service was operating as usual.

In the capital Taipei there were squally showers, but public transport including the subway was working, albeit with reduced service.

Why Taiwan weathers storms better than most

Taiwan is generally very well prepared for typhoons, which keeps casualties low. Although more common in summer, the storms can strike in autumn too — and Champi’s enormous wind field means even a near-miss exposes much of the island to severe weather.

That preparedness was on display on Friday: mass evacuations, pre-positioned rescue equipment, early closures, and mobile alerts pushed to phones in coastal towns.

Extreme weather is testing disaster response across the world this year. Spain’s Catalonia region was hit by floods that killed two people earlier this month, and Pakistan’s own monsoon season left 65 dead and 382 injured in Punjab alone, according to the PDMA.

Climate change is already reshaping weather patterns in Pakistan’s northern valleys, and flight disruptions from severe weather have hit Islamabad too.

The typhoon is forecast to first pass over Japan’s westernmost inhabited island, Yonaguni, in Okinawa Prefecture.

Sources: Dawn reported the shutdown; CNA carried an updated Reuters account.

FAQ

How many flights were cancelled because of Typhoon Champi?

Taiwan’s transport ministry said all 262 domestic flights were cancelled for Friday, along with 717 international ones — nearly 1,000 in total.

What damage has Typhoon Champi caused in Taiwan?

One person was killed and 171 were injured. The government evacuated 2,639 people from mountainous areas, and more than 77,000 homes lost power, though electricity was restored to most.

Will Typhoon Champi make landfall in Taiwan?

Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration said landfall could not be ruled out if the storm stalls or wobbles on approach. The forecast track shows it passing just off northeastern Taiwan before turning toward the Chinese coast and southern Japan.