Taiwan shuts down ahead of Typhoon Champi, nearly 1,000 flights cancelled

On Friday, nearly all of Taiwan was shut down as Typhoon Champi approached, bringing strong winds and torrential rain. At its peak, Champi was classified as a super typhoon, one of the strongest storms in the Pacific this year, with gusts reaching 191 kph (119 mph). The storm was approximately 170 km (106 miles) east of Taiwan at the time.

The government reported that 2,639 people had been evacuated from mountainous regions, while Taipower stated that over 77,000 homes had lost power, though most had since had electricity restored.

Champi was forecast to pass just off northeastern Taiwan late Friday, turn north towards the Chinese coast, and eventually move into southern Japan. Forecasters warned that landfall could not be ruled out if the storm stalled, looped, or wobbled as it approached Taiwan. The storm's wind radius was reported to be quite large, potentially affecting Taiwan for an extended period.

Coastal towns received mobile phone alerts warning of gusts exceeding 150 kph (93 mph) and cautioned residents to seek immediate shelter. Nearly a meter (3 feet) of rain was forecast for northern mountain areas, including around Taipei.

Authorities in Yilan, a northeastern county, distributed sandbags and prepared amphibious vehicles and inflatable rescue boats for potential evacuation and disaster relief. In the event of necessary assistance, the military would be called in to provide aid. Construction worker Liu Yu-en expressed concern about possible flooding in Keelung, the northern port city, where boat owners hurried to secure their vessels.

Taipei experienced squally showers, but public transport, including the subway, operated with reduced service. Financial markets, including the Taiwan Stock Exchange, closed on Friday. All domestic flights were cancelled, along with 717 international ones, while the north-south high-speed rail service remained operational.