Typhoon Champi: 931 Flights Cancelled as Storm Weakens Near Taiwan
The storm has slowed to 155 km/h, grounding all domestic and international air traffic while causing one death and 94 injuries in the region.
By Alessia Romano ·
931 flights were cancelled across Taiwan on Friday as Typhoon Champi moved past the island, according to the Transport Ministry. The total includes all 262 domestic services and 669 international routes. High-speed rail along the western coast, however, continued operating without interruption.
The storm's intensity has decreased as it approaches from the southeast. Maximum sustained winds, which reached 298 kilometres per hour earlier in the week, have dropped to 155 kilometres per hour. Forecasts indicate the storm's center will remain offshore as it passes the northeastern tip of the island before turning north toward Japan's southwestern islands.
One person died on Thursday when waves swept them away in Liuqiu, a small island off the southeastern coast. The fire department confirmed the death, while the government reported 94 additional injuries. More than 2,600 residents were evacuated from vulnerable mountainous regions in advance of the storm's arrival.
Taiwan's Central Weather Administration advised people in coastal zones to avoid outdoor activities and driving. Officials also warned residents to watch for falling objects. Despite the storm's wide radius of approximately 320 kilometres, which covers most of the island, transport services in Taipei remained open. The capital experienced only light showers and gusty winds on Friday.
The storm is expected to continue affecting Taiwan through Saturday. The system is projected to reach Japan's southern mainland on Monday. In southwestern Japan, the typhoon has already caused one injury, disrupted air travel, and cut power to nearly 2,000 homes on Ishigaki island. Dozens of flights to and from Miyako, Ishigaki, and Okinawa have been cancelled.
In the northern Philippines, coast guards barred ships and ferries from sailing in rough waters off several towns. The main domestic airport in Basco, the capital of Batanes province, closed and cancelled two local flights. Officials boarded up airport windows as a precaution. In Cagayan province, nearly 200 people moved to safer ground, with almost 100 taking shelter in government-run facilities. Classes were suspended in the island town of Calayan.
Champi passed over several Pacific islands earlier this month, including Guam, where a federal disaster area was declared. The storm's path has shifted as it weakens, but its scale ensures widespread disruption across the western Pacific region through the weekend.
