Wire reporting: (AFP, via Japan Today), (Reuters, via Dawn)

Taiwan closed schools, offices and hundreds of flights on Friday as Typhoon Champi approached the island's northeast, with authorities reporting one death^1,2,5,8,9,10.

Taipei Times said the Central Weather Administration placed the storm about 100 kilometers east of Yilan at 8 p.m. Friday, moving north-northeast at 16 kph, with sustained winds of 155 kph and gusts of about 191 kph¹⁰. Daily Maverick, carrying Reuters, had earlier put the center about 170 kilometers east of Taiwan⁸. Earlier Reuters-based copy had put it about 220 kilometers east⁵.

BBC said one person died after being swept away by waves and that 171 people were injured, with about 1,000 evacuated¹. Daily Maverick said injuries were revised down to 163 from 171, while mountain evacuations remained at 2,639 and Taipower still reported more than 77,000 homes without power, most later restored⁸. Arab News put injuries at more than 160⁹. Taipei Times, citing the Central Emergency Operations Center as of 7:30 p.m. Friday, said one person was killed and 350 were injured, and that Taipower reported 77,498 households without power, with 58,469 restored by 2 p.m.¹⁰.

Taiwan's transport ministry cancelled all 262 domestic flights Friday and 717 international services, Daily Maverick and Dawn said^5,8. SCMP and Taipei Times listed 715 international cancellations^3,10. BBC also noted more than 160 cancellations at four Japanese airlines and outages at nearly 8,400 households in Okinawa¹.

Work and classes were suspended in nearly all of Taiwan's 22 counties and cities; only Kinmen continued as usual, and the stock exchange was closed^1,5,8. Taipei Times said several northern and central counties announced a second consecutive typhoon day for Saturday¹⁰. High-speed rail kept running, and Taipei subway service was reduced^5,8. TSMC said operations remained normal^2,8.

Forecasters said landfall could not be ruled out if the storm stalls or wobbles, Daily Maverick and Taipei Times reported, and that rainfall could reach 600 to 900 millimeters in parts of New Taipei City, Taoyuan and Yilan^8,10. BBC forecast up to 90 centimeters in the northeast through Saturday¹. DW described Champi as El Niño-boosted and said shops and schools were closed after the storm weakened slightly⁶.

BBC and AFP-based reports linked the busy season to a strong El Niño; Champi had been the year's strongest storm earlier in the week before weakening from super-typhoon intensity^1,4.

What remains unknown is whether Champi will make landfall on Taiwan, how long strong winds will linger if the storm slows, and the full extent of damage once rainfall peaks Saturday^1,2,5,8.

Sources

1. BBCHundreds of flights cancelled as Typhoon Champi shuts TaiwanOct 23, 4:45 AM
2. ABC News AustraliaTaiwan shuts down and grounds flights ahead of Typhoon ChampiOct 23, 4:47 AM
3. SCMPTyphoon Champi grounds hundreds of flights in Taiwan, threatens eastern mainland ChinaOct 23, 4:00 AM
4. (AFP, via Japan Today)Taiwan shuts down as Typhoon Champi approachesOct 23, 12:05 AM
5. (Reuters, via Dawn)Taiwan shuts down ahead of Typhoon Champi, nearly 1,000 flights cancelledAlso (Reuters, via Daily Maverick)Oct 23, 3:32 AM

DW · Reuters · Arab News+1 moreHide

1. DWTaiwan braces as El Nino-supercharged Typhoon Champi approaches islandOct 23, 2:40 AM
2. ReutersLIVE: Typhoon Champi approaches TaiwanOct 23, 1:08 AM
3. Arab NewsTaiwan shuts down as Typhoon Champi approachesOct 23, 5:24 AM
4. Taipei TimesTyphoon Champi shuts down TaiwanOct 23, 8:00 PM

Read the original at BBC ↗