Taiwan shuts down ahead of weakening Typhoon Champi, hundreds of flights cancelled

On Friday, Taiwan came to a standstill as Typhoon Champi approached the island, bringing strong winds and torrential rain. Despite the storm weakening and not expected to make direct landfall, the Central Weather Administration reported it was still a force to be reckoned with, with gusts of around 191kph near its center. The typhoon was approximately 330km east of Taiwan's southern tip, on a trajectory that would see it pass just off the northeastern coast, turn north towards the Chinese mainland, and eventually head towards southern Japan.

The storm's radius was around 320km, covering most of Taiwan, and the impact could linger for nearly two days. Financial markets were closed on Friday, and only the Kinmen islands, controlled by Taiwan, would have normal operations, with schools and offices open. The transport ministry announced that all 262 domestic flights scheduled for Friday, along with over 350 international flights, had been canceled.

Taiwan is accustomed to typhoons, but they can still bring significant disruptions, especially in autumn when they are more common. The typhoon was first expected to affect Japan's westernmost inhabited island, Yonaguni, in Okinawa Prefecture.