Internet, Oct 24: Typhoon Champi has battered Taiwan, killing one person and injuring more than 500 others, as authorities warned of destructive winds and urged residents to remain indoors. The storm brought heavy rainfall, damaged power lines, toppled trees and forced more than 5,000 people to evacuate their homes.
The typhoon swept past northeastern Taiwan on Friday, triggering localised flooding and widespread disruption. Emergency crews began restoration work on Saturday as around 56,000 households remained without electricity.
Many shops in northern and central Taiwan remained closed for a second consecutive day as the storm moved away from the island.
Typhoon Champi Triggers Flight Cancellations and Flood Warnings
Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications reported that 259 flights were cancelled. This was a significant improvement from Friday, when cancellations approached 1,000.
Champi, which briefly reached super typhoon strength, has since weakened. The US Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported maximum winds of 185 kmph on Friday.
However, Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration warned that the storm could bring up to 900 millimetres of rain between Thursday and Saturday, with northeastern areas facing the greatest impact. Yilan County recorded more than 400 millimetres of rainfall on Friday.
The storm also weakened as it looped offshore near Yilan, which received around 650 millimetres of rain since Thursday. Forecaster Lu Kuo-chen warned that the typhoon could slow near Taiwan’s northeastern tip, prolonging its impact.
Residents described a frightening night as powerful winds damaged trees and disrupted daily life. Some said the storm was among the most intense they had experienced in years, while others compared it with previous typhoons.
Typhoon Champi Moves Towards China and Japan
The storm has also affected Japan’s southern Okinawa islands, where around 8,400 households lost electricity on Friday afternoon. Japanese authorities reported two injuries in Okinawa.
Champi is forecast to move near Okinawa and China’s eastern coast before turning northeast towards mainland Japan.
Chinese authorities have warned of strong winds and heavy rainfall along parts of the eastern coast. Areas including Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang could experience heavy to torrential rain.
Some train services were suspended in Shanghai, while tens of thousands of people were evacuated as a precaution.
The storm comes amid an active Pacific typhoon season linked to broader climate patterns. The World Meteorological Organization has warned that the ongoing El Niño event could become exceptionally strong.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said the event could reach unprecedented strength compared with monitoring records from the past four decades. El Niño is expected to peak in December, with potential effects continuing into 2027 and beyond.
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