Taiwan Transport Ministry cancels 931 flights as Typhoon Champi passes offshore
The storm weakened to 155 km/h but still killed one person and forced over 2,600 evacuations.
By Tunde Bailey ·
Taiwan’s Transport Ministry cancelled 931 flights on Friday, a total that includes all 262 domestic routes and 669 international services. The suspension of air traffic coincided with Typhoon Champi passing close to the island’s northeastern tip. While the storm had weakened from its peak, it continued to generate strong winds and heavy rain across the region.
The Central Weather Administration reported that the typhoon’s maximum sustained winds dropped to 155 kilometres per hour as it approached from the southeast. This was a decline from the 298 kilometres per hour the system recorded earlier in the week. Forecasts indicated the storm's centre would remain offshore before turning north toward Japan's southwestern islands. Despite the offshore track, the storm’s radius of roughly 320 kilometres covered most of the island.
The human toll included one death on Thursday. A person was swept away by waves in Liuqiu, a small island off the southeastern coast, according to the fire department. Authorities reported 94 additional injuries. More than 2,600 residents were evacuated from vulnerable mountainous areas to safety.
Ground transportation remained partially functional. High-speed rail services along the western coast operated normally, and Taipei’s subway system stayed open. The capital experienced only light showers and gusty winds. The Central Weather Administration advised coastal residents to avoid outdoor activities, driving, and falling objects.
The impact extended beyond Taiwan. In southwestern Japan, the typhoon injured one person, disrupted flights, and cut power. A woman in her 70s broke a leg on Miyako island, and nearly 2,000 homes lost electricity on Ishigaki island. Dozens of flights to and from Miyako, Ishigaki, and Okinawa were cancelled.
In the northern Philippines, the coast guard barred ships and ferries from sailing in rough waters. The main airport in Basco, 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 entering government-run emergency shelters. Classes were suspended in the island town of Calayan.
Experts expect the storm's greatest impact on Taiwan to last through Saturday. The system is projected to reach Japan's southern mainland on Monday. Earlier this month, Champi passed over several Pacific islands, including Guam, where a federal disaster area was declared.
