In brief
Typhoon Champi forced the cancellation of over 400 flights across East Asia and triggered a nationwide "typhoon holiday" in Taiwan, with schools, offices and the stock exchange closed. The storm, powered by a strong El Niño, is expected to bring 90cm of rain and winds reaching 191 km/h before moving on to China and Japan. One fatality, 171 injuries and 1,000 evacuations have been reported, underscoring the storm’s intensity. Although its eye may miss Taiwan, forecasters warn of potential stalling that could bring landfall.
Hundreds of flights across East Asia were canceled on Friday as Typhoon Champi roared close to Taiwan’s northeast coast, their destruction echoing the storm’s ferocity.
Schools, offices and the Taiwan Stock Exchange shut their doors, turning the capital areas into a suspended city for the day. The Central Weather Administration warned of up to 90cm of rain and gales near 200km/h, making the region a target for severe weather.
One person lost his life when swell swept him away from the shore; 171 people were injured and 1,000 others evacuated. The storm, fed by the super‑El Niño Pacific, has already set a record earlier this week, racing at 185mph before weakening.
Officials in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan say the typhoon’s eye will likely glide off Taiwan, yet they cannot dismiss the possibility of a sudden stall or loop that might bring landfall. Forecasts predict the storm will move across waters off China’s east coast before angling Northeast toward Japan’s Ryukyu Islands.
Rainfall is expected to peak on Saturday morning and could continue to batter the island until the evening, urging residents to stay away from coastlines and mountain slopes. Nearly all of Taiwan’s 22 counties and cities observed a “typhoon holiday,” but Kinmen County kept normal operations.
In Japan, over 8,000 Okinawa households faced power cuts, and more than 160 flights were canceled across four airlines. The Philippine islands of Batanes also felt the storm’s impact, with heavy rains and waves inundating coastal villages.
Champi’s growing intensity is part of a record‑typhoon season as the strong El Niño has created unusually warm seas that fuel extreme storms across the region.
