Taiwan took precautionary measures in response to Typhoon Champi, shutting down schools, offices, and grounding hundreds of flights as the storm passed by the island on Friday. Although Champi had earlier recorded maximum sustained winds of 298 kilometers per hour, it weakened to 155 kilometers per hour as it neared Taiwan from the southwest. The storm’s center was expected to remain offshore as it moved past the island’s northeastern tip before heading north towards Japan’s southwestern islands.
The Central Weather Administration in Taiwan advised residents in coastal areas to refrain from outdoor activities, driving, and to be vigilant against potential hazards such as falling objects. Tragically, one person lost their life due to being swept by waves on the small island of Liuqiu, off Taiwan’s southeastern coast, with 94 others sustaining injuries. Approximately 1,300 individuals were evacuated from at-risk mountainous regions, according to government reports.
In response to the typhoon, all 262 domestic flights within Taiwan and 669 international flights were canceled, while high-speed rail services on the western coast continued to operate normally. In southwestern Japan, the typhoon caused one injury, flight disruptions, and power outages.
On Miyako island in Japan, a woman in her 70s suffered a broken leg due to the strong winds, and almost 2,000 homes on Ishigaki island were left without electricity. Numerous flights to and from the southwestern islands, including Miyako, Ishigaki, and Okinawa, were also canceled.
In the Philippines, the coast guard prohibited ships and ferries from sailing into rough waters off several northern towns and cities. Furthermore, the main airport in Batanes provincial capital of Basco was closed, and two local flights were canceled as a safety measure, with airport windows boarded up. In Cagayan province, nearly 200 individuals relocated to safer areas, including almost 100 who sought refuge in government-run emergency shelters. Classes in the island town of Calayan were suspended at all levels due to the typhoon.
Typhoon Champi had previously affected several Pacific islands, including Guam, where a federal disaster area was declared.
