Taiwan took precautionary measures in response to Typhoon Champi, closing schools, offices, and canceling hundreds of flights as the storm passed near the island on Friday. Initially reaching peak sustained winds of 298 kilometers per hour, Champi weakened to 155 kilometers per hour as it neared Taiwan from the southwest. The typhoon is expected to stay offshore as it moves past the northeastern tip of the island before heading north towards Japan.
Warnings from Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration advised residents in coastal regions to avoid outdoor activities and driving and to be mindful of potential hazards such as falling objects. Tragically, one individual lost their life after being swept away by waves on Liuqiu, a small island off Taiwan’s southeastern coast, with 94 others sustaining storm-related injuries. The government reported evacuating nearly 1,300 individuals from vulnerable mountainous areas.
Flight operations were significantly impacted, with all 262 domestic flights and 669 international flights in Taiwan being canceled, while high-speed rail services along the western coast remained operational. In southwestern Japan, the typhoon caused injuries, flight disruptions, and power outages.
In Japan’s Miyako island, a woman in her 70s suffered a broken leg due to strong winds, and on Ishigaki island, around 2,000 households experienced power outages. Numerous flights to and from the southwestern islands, including Miyako, Ishigaki, and Okinawa, were also grounded.
Meanwhile, the Philippines’ coast guard prohibited ships and ferries from sailing in the rough waters off several northern towns and cities. In Batanes province, the main airport in the capital of Basco was closed, and two local flights were canceled as a precautionary measure, with airport windows boarded up for safety. In Cagayan province, almost 200 individuals were relocated to safer locations, including nearly 100 accommodated in government-run emergency shelters. Additionally, classes were suspended in Calayan town off Cagayan due to the typhoon.
Typhoon Champi had previously impacted several Pacific islands, including Guam, where a federal disaster area was declared.